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What have you done for me lately? As attention turns to 2025, GOAL looks at where all 29 MLS teams need to go from here

The offseason is officially here: The LA Galaxy are your 2024 MLS Cup Champions, putting a bow on a stupendous season in thrilling fashion with a 2-1 win over New York Red Bulls at Dignity Health Sports Park Saturday in front of a sold-out crowd.

Of course, the old adage in sports applies: What have you done for me lately? Now attention turns to preparation for 2025 – and teams are locking in. Whether that's addressing coaching and front office vacancies, or communicating with scouts about transfer business in the winter window, it's eyes forward.

Some clubs, such as Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Wilfried Nancy's Columbus Crew, had excellent regular seasons – and their rosters are practically ready to compete in 2025, minus a few moves. Others, such as the San Jose Earthquakes and Chicago Fire, need to completely re-evaluate their team to compete in 2025. And then there's squads such as the Vancouver Whitecaps, Real Salt Lake and Charlotte FC – all of whom made the postseason, but crashed out in the first round.

How do they take the next step? GOAL looks at where all 29 MLS teams need to go from here.

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• 29San Jose Earthquakes

  What went right: Very little. The biggest moment of 2024 for the Earthquakes was the announcement that Bruce Arena would be taking over for the start of 2025. MLS' most winningest coach, the 73-year-old has exactly what it takes to return them to the top.

  What went wrong: The list is too long, but to put it in simple terms, their roster was not good enough to compete in 2025. Jeremy Ebobisse was given no help in the attack, their midfield could not retain possession and their defense leaked goals.

  Biggest offseason need: They need to hand Arena the keys to their roster, and let him work his magic. They have an open DP slot, and multiple U-22 initiative slots, so there is room for their team to grow. In terms of places where they can improve, it's everywhere. They need to bolster their defense, midfield and attack — with their lone spot for 2025 not up for grabs being goalkeeper.

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• 28Chicago Fire

  What went right: They smashed their transfer record early in the campaign, bringing in Hugo Cuypers from Belgium, and he looked the part at times – despite having little to no support in the attack from the Fire. Elsewhere, U.S. youth internationals Chris Brady and Brian Gutierrez earned minutes and were hit with adversity, which is likely good for their development. Under ex-USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter's leadership in 2025, they could take the next step in their careers.

  What went wrong: The Fire had little go right. They had a few nice wins, but they finished 28th in the Supporters' Shield standings, scoring just 40 goals while conceding 62. Their attack wasn't good enough, and their defense struggled against possession-based teams who put them under pressure in their own half.

  Biggest offseason need: To trust in Berhalter's rebuild, and let him utilize his connections within the league to build a title-contending roster. Replacing Shaqiri will be key, and they'll likely use his DP spot to bring in a top-tier attacker as a result. Another option is buying-down the contract of Gaston Gimenez, so they could potentially bring in two new DPs this winter. Regardless of what they do, though, they ned to give Cuypers some support while shoring up both their midfield and defense. Chicago haven't qualified for the postseason since 2017. This is their biggest offseason to date.

• 27New England Revolution

  What went right: Carles Gil, Luca Langoni and Esmir Bajraktarevic all showed that they care about the club throughout the season, as the only three standout performers, and those they should build on heading in to 2025. Arguably their best moment of 2024 was acquiring promising left back Peyton Miller, though. He looks to be the part and has really impressive attacking instincts.

  What went wrong: Caleb Porter's debut season in the northeast was a complete disaster. The two-time MLS Cup winner let the program down, feuding with players and media members to create an unstable environment. However, the club has shown they have trust and faith in him to guide them into 2025. In addition to their touchline woes, the Revs scored just 37 goals and conceded 74. On both ends of the pitch, they need to look hard in the mirror and ask who is an MLS-caliber player.

  Biggest offseason need: The Revs need help at right back, center back, defensive midfield and in the attack. Really, they need a roster overhaul. However, the four players discussed along with goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic are all likely to be members of the starting XI next year. Now, let's see how the Revs and Porter tackle the transfer market this winter.

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• 26Sporting Kansas City

  What went right: SKC generally had a year to forget, underwhelming across the regular season. But they had a terrific US Open Cup run, where they made it to the final. They lost to LAFC, but their performances across the tournament were the highlight of their season.

  What went wrong: Sporting’s midfield and attack really let them down in 2024. They conceded 66 goals and lost an astonishing 19 matches. Overall, though, their roster wasn’t built to compete with MLS’ elite – and as a result, there’s an expectation they’ll be active in the transfer market this offseason.

  Biggest offseason need: After parting ways with club legend Johnny Russell and goalkeeper Tim Amelia after the end of the season, Sporting are looking to flip the narrative heading into 2025. Their biggest priority should be the No. 10 position. Speaking at year-end availability, GM Mike Burns alluded to it, saying “Without question, our primary focus is a 10. We're looking for a guy that can break down lines in the final third, ideally can score, can set up goals."

Glasgow Rangers still have just under two weeks left in the summer transfer window to make further additions before the deadline passes at the end of August.

Head of recruitment Nils Koppen has dipped into the market to land Hamza Igamane, Oscar Cortes, Mohammed Diomande, Liam Kelly, Clinton Nsiala, Jefte, Connor Barron, Robin Propper, and Vaclav Cerny so far.

However, there could be more to come from the Light Blues before the end of the window as their recruitment thus far did not help them to qualify for the Champions League.

The Gers lost 3-1 to Dynamo Kyiv over two legs and that defeat made it clear that the Scottish giants still lack quality in areas of the squad, which needs to be addressed this summer, and in future windows.

Rangers will play in the Europa League group phase this season and they could need more quality additions to compete and go far in that competition.

One area of the pitch in which Koppen and Philippe Clement could look to strengthen is in attacking midfield, where Ianis Hagi and Todd Cantwell are not part of the squad as it stands.

Rangers must swoop for Chelsea starlet

The Ibrox giants have been linked with attacking midfielders throughout the summer transfer window and one potential option is Chelsea's Leo Castledine.

Rangers are reportedly interested in signing the 18-year-old playmaker before the end of the month to bolster their options in the middle of the park.

The Light Blues are keen to land him on a season-long loan with an option to make it permanent next summer, but the Premier League giants would prefer a straight loan.

Fellow Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen and unknown teams from the English Championship are also eyeing up the England youth international, which means that Rangers will face plenty of competition for his signature.

Clement's side have also been linked with an interest in Manchester United attacking midfielder Hannibal Mejbri but his £7m price tag could make that a difficult deal to complete.

Instead of splashing out a fee of £7m to sign the Tunisia international, Rangers could save funds and land Castledine on loan from Chelsea to bridge a gap in that position until next summer at least.

The Blues youngster is a fantastic talent and could be a dream signing for current Light Blues striker Cyriel Dessers, who has blown hot and cold in his time at Ibrox so far.

Cyriel Dessers' hot and cold time at Rangers

It is fair to say that the experienced forward splits opinion in Glasgow as there is a lot to like and a lot not to like about his performances for the club.

The striker was brought in on a permanent deal from Italian side Cremonese by former Gers boss Michael Beale last summer and enjoyed a solid first season in Scotland on paper.

He ended the 2023/24 campaign with a return of 22 goals and nine assists in 54 appearances in all competitions, which shows that he was able to find the back of the net a fair amount.

However, that goal return does not tell the full story of his season. Dessers was a frustrating player to watch at times due to his wasteful finishing in front of goal, particularly in the Scottish Premiership.

The 29-year-old attacker missed a staggering 27 'big chances' and scored 16 goals in the division, which shows that he spurned far more huge opportunities than he scored. Meanwhile, no other Rangers player got into double figures for 'big chances' missed.

This suggests that Dessers should have scored more than he did based on the quality of chances that were created for him by his teammates in the Premiership.

He has started the current campaign with an impressive return, on paper, of three goals in five starts but his finishing has, once again, been questionable.

As you can see in the table above, Dessers has not made the most of the opportunities that have fallen his way in the first two Premiership games, whilst also being loose in possession with no creativity.

These statistics suggest that Rangers are in need of an attacking midfielder who can contribute with goals to make up for the striker's struggles in the final third.

Why Rangers should sign Leo Castledine

Koppen and Clement must push to land an agreement to sign Castledine on loan from Chelsea because he has the potential to be that goalscoring number ten that the team currently lacks.

Tom Lawrence is the only natural attacking midfielder in the first-team mix and has started the season with zero goals and zero assists in four starts.

As you can see in the table above, the Wales international also struggled to make a regular impact at the top end of the pitch in the 2023/24 campaign.

Lawrence does not appear to have the attacking quality that Rangers need to make up for Dessers' struggles in front of goal, but Castledine has the potential to have it.

The 18-year-old star, who turns 19 this month, enjoyed a stunning 2023/24 season with a return of ten goals and nine assists in 18 Premier League 2 appearances for Chelsea's U21s, predominantly playing in an attacking midfield role.

He has showcased his ability in the final third throughout his time in the Blues academy with 14 goals and ten assists in 46 matches for the U21s and 18 goals and six assists in 47 games for the U18s.

Castledine, who was hailed as "exceptional" on the ball by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has yet to prove himself at senior level, with just the one first-team outing, and a loan to Rangers could be his chance to shine.

If he can translate his sensational form at youth level over to Ibrox (Hampden for now) then he could be the dream signing to partner Dessers in attack, by providing a huge goal threat from a number ten role whilst also being a creator for his teammates.

Kylian Mbappe has earned a new nickname from his Real Madrid team-mates after brilliant goal in win over Sevilla on Sunday.

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• Mbappe earns new nickname in dressing room
• Scored in Real's win over Sevilla
• Los Blancos next face Valencia

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mbappe has had a difficult start to his journey at Real Madrid since completing his dream move to the Spanish giants from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. The French forward, however, confirmed his recent return to form with a stunning opening goal in Los Blancos' 4-2 win over Sevilla on Sunday in their final match of 2024.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With the France captain now slowly adjusting to life in Spain, his colleagues have reportedly come up with a new nickname for the attacker and now call him "Mbappepinazo" in the dressing room, according to Defensa Central. The name refers to the 25-year-old's ability to fire goals from outside the box with powerful and precise shots.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite a slow start at his new club, Mbappe has managed to score 13 goals across all competitions and 10 in La Liga. He has also provided three assists overall in 23 appearances. In December, he has scored five goals in six games in La Liga and Champions League action.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  Carlo Ancelotti's side will be back in action after the short winter break on January 3 as they take on Valencia in La Liga away from home.

Manchester City are said to be open to completing the signing of a "world-class" player with 44 Premier League goals to his name, according to a fresh transfer update.

Man City transfer news

Pep Guardiola's side got their title defence off to a perfect start on Sunday afternoon, picking up a hard-earned but deserved 2-0 win away to Chelsea. Erling Haaland opened the scoring and Mateo Kovacic fired home against his former club, in an early warning shot to their rivals at the top of the table.

Savinho was involved on his league debut for the reigning champions, impressing before picking up an injury before half-time, but the Brazilian has been City's only signing of genuine note during the summer transfer window. That's not to say that others aren't being linked with moves to the Etihad in the coming weeks, though, including Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo.

The 23-year-old scored in his side's opening La Liga fixture against Real Mallorca on Sunday evening, but couldn't prevent them from drawing 1-1, and is seen as a potentially ideal replacement for the departed Julian Alvarez.

Meanwhile, City are also believed to be close to striking a deal for young attacker Divin Mubama, who was most recently at West Ham. The England Under-20 international would be viewed as one for the future, also increasing the club's homegrown quota.

Man City open to stunning move for "world-class" ace

According to a massive claim from Sport [via Sport Witness], Manchester City are open to the idea of re-signing former hero Ilkay Gundogan this summer, in what would be a shock transfer. The German has reportedly asked to leave current club Barcelona and City are not ruling out the idea of bringing him back to the Etihad before the current transfer window reaches its conclusion.

This would be a stunning capture by City, in terms of its surprising nature, considering few have expected to see him return to the club. At 33, his best days are behind him, but he does still have plenty to offer as a squad player, possessing vast experience and a winning mentality.

Emre Can has hailed his Germany teammate as "world class" in the recent past, while Guardiola absolutely adores him as a player: "He’s so intelligent Gundo, so clever and competitive. Under pressure, he handles it without a problem. He’s one of the best players I ever trained in my career in terms of the whole package. He's top, top class."

While some may baulk at the claim, City's squad depth is actually lacking a little this season, so Gundogan could bolster Guardiola's options, already knowing the club inside out and winning so many trophies during his time there.

Whether a move actually materialises this summer remains to be seen, but there is definite sense in bringing the 44-goal former Premier League hero back for a short-term stint, and the move could well appeal to him after a relatively average spell at Barca.

Bayern Munich star Kingsley Coman, who has played with Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski, has been asked to pick between two prolific strikers.

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• Lewandowski hit 344 goals for Bayern
• Kane has 64 through 65 appearances
• Both are considered to be elite No.9s

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Poland international Lewandowski, who is now at Barcelona, hit 344 goals for Bayern through 375 appearances between 2014 and 2022. England captain Kane moved to the Allianz Arena and inherited the No.9 shirt in 2023 – with his impressive record in Germany delivering 64 goals in 65 games.

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  WHAT COMAN SAID

  France international Coman has told the , presented by Qatar Airways, of whether Kane’s ability has come as any surprise to those in Munich: “Yes and no. The thing is you know sometimes between players you talk and everything and often before we had a conversation, when we had Lewandowski, and people were talking about Harry Kane.

  “I knew he was good but the only time I played with him, against him was against Tottenham, and it was no match! So then I couldn't even see his quality but when we play against him in the World Cup against England he did good. He missed one penalty, but in the game, I think it's the first time that I realised like how good he can be. Then when you have the player in training and every day you know, you see everything. Then you really see everything and then I was like, ‘yeah he's there’.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  When charged with the task of comparing Kane and Lewandowski, Coman said: “They are pretty similar, but I would say Harry has a bit more impact in the game. [He’s] in the game building, while Lewy is really a box striker. [He] can also really keep the ball good and everything, but I would say Harry can really drop and can play almost like as a 10 or midfielder, brings the ball up sometimes so obviously sometimes he's less in the box….

  “He has more of this capacity while Lewandowski can drop also a little bit, but he has to be in the box, so he cannot drop as much as Harry. I would say this is the big difference. In the box they are pretty similar even though I think Lewandowski is a bit more like moving good or killer in the box, but then Harry has this distance shot that Lewandowski has, but less. Harry is really good outside of the box, outside he is really dangerous as well.

  “I think they both are pretty similar, but both have qualities that the other one have also but a bit less. That's why I think overall it's like two players that we can put at the highest striker of those last couple of years. I won't say one is better. Because as I told you I think in what Lewandowski is better, Harry is also really good [and] in what Harry is better Lewandowski is also really good.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Lewandowski won eight Bundesliga titles and the Champions League during his time at Bayern – as part of a 19-trophy haul. Kane is hoping to claim the first major silverware of his distinguished career in 2025 after finishing his debut campaign in Bavaria empty-handed.

Arsenal could pursue a deadline day bid to sign one £40 million striker, with Edu Gaspar and the recruitment team still active in the market before the cut-off at 11pm.

Arsenal scouring market for new forward after Neto deal

An Arsenal deal has been agreed to sign Bournemouth keeper Neto, who will join the north Londoners on a season-long loan, but it is believed Mikel Arteta could see another outfielder or two come in as well.

Arsenal hold talks with £60 million striker as Edu plots deadline day bid

The north Londoners could be active today.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 30, 2024

Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman has been heavily linked in the last 24-48 hours, as has former Man City star Raheem Sterling, who is currently looking for a last-minute way out of Stamford Bridge before the clock runs out.

Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Sterling, according to some reports, with Arteta and Edu scouring the market for another forward option who can provide competition for the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka out-wide.

This comes after their latest confirmed outfield deal was announced earlier this week, coming in the form of a £32 million deal to sign Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad.

There are many rumours surrounding Sterling and a potential last minute switch to the Emirates today, which would surely come as one of the most headline-grabbing transfers of the window, if it indeed comes to fruition.

Alongside Sterling, sporadic reports suggest a new striker may not be ruled out either, with Arsenal linked to bringing in a number nine all window.

Arsenal could pursue deadline day bid to sign Calvert-Lewin

According to Football Transfers today, Arsenal have Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin on their radar as an option heading into the afternoon.

The Englishman, who is also attracting late interest from Chelsea, could leave Goodison Park before the deadline – with a move away from Merseyside currently seen as a possibility.

Arsenal could apparently pursue a bid for Calvert-Lewin before 11pm, after previous claims that Everton would demand around £40 million. The 27-year-old's injury record is a cause for concern, but when fit and available, there is little doubt he'd be an asset for any top English side.

“Dominic is a high level striker, an England striker, a Premier League regular goalscorer with all his natural attributes that we see in terms of the types of goals that he can score, his strengths, his speed, his aerial ability,” said Chelsea legend Lampard on Calvert-Lewin in 2022.

“You have to try and play to the best strengths of that without a doubt and I think also, Dominic is a forward that can connect the game and hold the ball and drop in between lines at times as well.

“So there’s a lot to his game and that’s what we can’t take lightly in terms of how much we’ve missed him."

There are a host of high-profile players who may be tempted by a move to England this month amid a lack of minutes at their current clubs

The 2024 January transfer window was the most boring in recent memory, with Radu Dragusin's £25 million ($31m) switch to Tottenham from Genoa ending up being the biggest deal conducted in the Premier League. Purse strings were tightened due to new Profit and Sustainability Rules that came with the threat of potential points deductions, which both Everton and Nottingham Forest fell foul of.

But that doesn't mean more tumbleweeds are guaranteed over the next four weeks. English clubs will have the opportunity to arrange some bargain permanent deals or clever loans in the winter market, and the bank could even be broken for the right target, if money is raised through sales beforehand.

Several household names across La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga are being linked with moves to the Premier League after falling out of favour in their current surroundings. Some desperately need a fresh start, while others have been transfer-listed after failing to live up to expectations, and England could be seen as the ideal escape route.

GOAL is on hand to run down the top eight European outcasts who might be priority targets for Premier League sides this month…

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  Endrick (Real Madrid)

  Endrick followed in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo by moving from the Brazilian top-flight to Real Madrid in the summer, and thusly arrived at Santiago Bernabeu with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. The former Palmeiras wonderkid could scarcely have asked for a better start as he marked his debut with a goal in a 3-0 La Liga win over Real Valladolid, before becoming the youngest Madrid player to ever score in the Champions League with a spectacular solo effort against Stuttgart, but he has been unable to build on those dream milestones.

  Unfortunately, Endrick joined the club at the same time as Kylian Mbappe, who has hogged the limelight and the No.9 slot since his arrival. As a consequence, the 18-year-old only made Carlo Ancelotti's starting XI once in the first half of the season. Ancelotti has repeatedly insisted Endrick will eventually get his chance, but Madrid are reportedly open to loaning him out in January, with Tottenham and Southampton mooted as potential destinations.

  It seems more likely that Endrick will join another La Liga club if Los Blancos do sanction a loan, but a Premier League move cannot be ruled out. He would certainly see plenty of minutes at Southampton, who are in desperate need of a goalscorer to boost their slim chances of avoiding relegation.

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  Randal Kolo Muani (PSG)

  Paris Saint-Germain saw off competition from a host of top clubs to sign Randal Kolo Muani in 2023, having seen him emerge as one of the most exciting young forwards in Europe at Eintracht Frankfurt. Kolo Muani didn't come close to justifying his €75m (£62m/$77m) fee during his maiden season at Parc des Princes, though, and now finds himself on the fringes under Luis Enrique.

  PSG are reportedly ready to offload the 26-year-old permanently or on loan in the current window, with Manchester United and Chelsea said to be among his admirers. However, claims Arsenal is a more realistic move as Mikel Arteta desperately tries to find cover for injured talisman Bukayo Saka. Kolo Muani is not in the same class as Saka, but a loan deal might help boost the Gunners' title chances, especially since Raheem Sterling's move from Chelsea hasn't worked out as hoped.

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  Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich)

  For the best part of six seasons, Leon Goretzka was a vital cog in the Bayern Munich system, but he's slipped down the pecking order since Vincent Kompany's appointment as head coach. Goretzka has long been linked with a switch to Old Trafford, and according to , Manchester United have been monitoring his situation again in recent weeks.

  A lack of quality in midfield has been a big reason for United's well-documented struggles, and adding a proven winner like Goretzka to their ranks would be a shrewd move. The 29-year-old could come cheap, too, given his contract at Bayern is due to expire next year, though he has expressed a desire to stay and fight for his place at Allianz Arena.

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  Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund)

  Donyell Malen may be the first big name to secure a transfer in the January window, with reporting that Aston Villa are working to sign the Borussia Dortmund forward. Villa have seen an opening offer of €18m (£15m/$19m) rebuffed, but negotiations are still ongoing, with Unai Emery eager to bolster his frontline after a disappointing start to the season.

  claims that Malen is pushing for an exit after being restricted to just six starts in Dortmund's first 15 Bundesliga games. The 25-year-old is a versatile player who carries a real goal threat, and would be a useful addition for Villa as they juggle Premier League and Champions League commitments if a deal is pushed over the line in the coming days.

Chelsea have only claimed four points from their opening three Premier League matches under Enzo Maresca, but there's evidence enough that the Blues are building something.

Frankly, the last few years have not been great under BlueCo's ownership, and while Mauricio Pochettino started to instil some fluency toward the end of his one-term stint, Maresca has been brought in to head a long-term project.

Against Crystal Palace, Chelsea might have only secured a draw, but they showed promising signs, with hope growing that the west Londoners will put to bed the issues of recent seasons under Maresca's wing.

How Chelsea performed vs Crystal Palace

The Italian's ball-playing vision is shaping up and was displayed through an emphatic first half against Palace on Saturday, with Nicolas Jackson scoring his second of the season and Chelsea looking slick and stylish – assured.

But Stamford Bridge was silenced by an Ebere Eze stunner after the break to restore parity and frustrate Maresca, who watched on as the pendulum swung and the control was lost, the contest becoming far more frenzied.

Maresca's decision to drop Enzo Fernandez into a makeshift right-back role contributed to the issues, with the Argentine looking unnatural and unable to produce the all-encompassing work that would be required.

Malo Gusto's injury blow

Gusto was forced off in the second half with an injury to cast a gloomy setting on Chelsea's pre-international-break performance. Reece James has not yet returned to first-team training after suffering a hamstring injury himself before the season started – albeit the club captain has been suspended anyway following a red card at the end of 2023/24.

The 21-year-old is a big talent but he's young and will need to raise his defensive game to another level if he wishes to perform with the steeliness that the Blues need across the duration of the campaign.

Taking the whole season into account, Gusto has impressed with his doggedness and defensive robustness, averaging three tackles per game, but he's won less than half of his ground duels – 48% – while making an error leading to a shot against Manchester City on the opening day.

Chelsea correspondent Bobby Vincent was hardly scathing of Gusto's performance on Saturday, providing him with a 6/10 match rating, though he did note that the Frenchman 'struggled going forward', as well as his issues in protecting the rear.

That's not a regular occurrence, but Gusto's injury blow accentuates the interminable wait for James to return to the field, fit and firing once again. The powerful and athletic full-back could be the catalyst under Maresca's wing.

Because of that, even if the French defender has bounced back from his own ailment, he must be replaced.

The best replacement for Malo Gusto

It has been so frustrating to watch one of the Premier League's finest players founder over recent years, simply because of his misery on the fitness front.

James, aged 24, is a Champions League winner and “one of the best in the world”, having been hailed as much in the past by recent Palace recruit Trevoh Chalobah.

The international break comes at a good time for Chelsea, allowing Gusto and James to continue their recuperation. The former has been one of the outfit's better performers since joining from Lyon in a £26m transfer in 2023, but he's no James, and it's clear that the return of the England international could spark meaningful change.

The defender missed large portions of Pochettino's reign with various setbacks, only starting five Premier League matches and being sent off twice.

But he's adept at using his power and physique to shuttle up the flank and wreak havoc with his fine array of passing and natural goalscoring sense.

Indeed, over the course of the 2021/21 campaign, as per FBref, James ranked among the top 2% of full-backs for goals scored, the top 1% for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for passes attempted and the top 6% for progressive passes and successful take-ons per 90.

He was at the peak of his powers and it goes to show what a player Chelsea have in their midst, his ability lying dormant and awaiting its deserved resurgence.

Look at the table above and you will see that James is a monstrous attacking force but so too is he a crunching defender, winning 61% of his ground duels – which is an impressive feat for a full-back, invariably pitted against lightning-fast wingers.

That defensive fortitude has been carried across his past two seasons too, even though he has been heavily affected by injury. In 2022/23, he won 66% of his ground battles, and then 64% last year.

It's frightening to think of the kind of player James could yet become, for he performs so well when available and is still only 24. Gusto was welcomed to London as the skipper's understudy but has played a far more hands-on role than was probably anticipated, and in fairness, he's looked impressive.

But the club skipper is still Chelsea's main man, and he must return to the starting line-up as soon as possible to ensure that Maresca's budding project hits the ascendency after the international break.

For now, fans wait with bated breath to hear of news of the right-backs' respective return dates, and while James must be handled with care, there are two weeks now where he can really work on returning to match fitness.

Fewer touches than Sanchez: Chelsea must bench 4/10 star after Palace

This Chelsea attacker wasn’t at the races whatsoever versus Crystal Palace.

By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 2, 2024

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson has explained why Tyler Young did not get to face dad Ashley in the FA Cup, with one Everton player having "a pop".

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• History could've been made at Goodison Park
• Teenager remained an unused substitute
• Posh boss defends his selection decisions

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  History was on the cards at Goodison Park on Thursday, with the Youngs looking to become the first father and son duo to line up against one another in the 154-year history of FA Cup competition. That big moment never arrived.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ex-England international Ashley stepped off the bench for the Toffees in the 73rd minute, with Everton leading 1-0 at the time. With the final outcome still in the balance, Posh manager Ferguson felt unable to throw on 18-year-old midfielder Tyler.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  By the time that Iliman Ndiaye converted a stoppage-time penalty, Peterborough had already used up all of their substitutes. The decision to deny Tyler an outing against his dad did not sit well with some, as digs were aimed in Ferguson’s direction.

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  WHAT FERGUSON SAID

  Ferguson, the son of legendary former Manchester United manager Sir Alex, told reporters afterwards when asked about why Young Jr did not make it onto the field: "The last substitution was a difficult one because I did want to get Tyler on. As much as I wanted to get him on with his dad, I had to do what’s right for my team.

  "It was very difficult ,but I’ve got to do what’s best for the team. If the game had been 2-0 at that point, I would have put him on, but at 1-0 I couldn’t. If I sent a central midfielder on at 1-0, I’ve got three forwards sitting on the bench wondering what’s going on.

  "One of their players had a bit of a pop at me, which is bang out of order, but I’ve got to do what’s best for out team and, at that point, it’s 1-0 and we’re trying to get a result. Quite honestly, I did put Tyler on the bench and I gave him every opportunity but I’ve got to do what’s best for the team. I am sure they will remember it."

Premier League giants Liverpool are believed to be interested in signing an “amazing” Sunderland player alongside Chris Rigg, according to a fresh transfer claim.

Liverpool eyeing Sunderland ace Chris Rigg

The Black Cats fell to second in the Championship table after five matches this season following their disappointing 3-2 defeat away to struggling Plymouth Argyle on Saturday afternoon.

There have been so many different Sunderland players who have caught the eye during the campaign to date, one of whom has been Rigg. Still only 17, the Englishman has performed with a level of maturity beyond his years, starting four of the five league games and continuing to enhance his reputation.

Rigg is such a highly-rated footballer that Liverpool have been linked with a move for him in the near future, seeing him as a player who could develop into something special over time. There is also the small matter of Real Madrid also reportedly seeing him as an option, which says even more about his ability.

Regis Le Bris will no doubt be desperate to keep hold of the teenage star for as long as possible, not least the entirety of this season, but there is always the threat of his head being turned by a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs. Now, another Sunderland ace has also been linked with a move away from the Stadium of Light, acting as a further concern.

Liverpool also keen on another Sunderland hero

According to a new update from HITC, Liverpool are eyeing a move for Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson as well as Rigg.

The 24-year-old is said to be on the Reds’ “radar”, as they prepare to replace current backup to Alisson, Caoimhin Kelleher, at the end of this season. The Republic of Ireland No.1 looks increasingly likely to move on at that point.

While Rigg looks like a particularly prized asset for Sunderland, considering the impact he is making at just 17 years of age, Patterson is also a hugely important young player in his own right. He has already made 127 appearances for the Black Cats, becoming a hugely consistent performer between the sticks, and former manager Tony Mowbray once heaped praise on him, saying:

“The goalkeeper… listen, he’s a top goalkeeper. I’ve been in football more than 40 years and this kid is a very talented boy who has an amazing temperament. Nothing fazes him, he’s very calm about everything, he’s not bouncing all over the place and losing the plot. He’s a very calm goalie who makes great saves.”

The lure of moving to Liverpool could be huge, given their status as one of the biggest teams in the country, but Patterson will know that he may not be replacing Alisson any time soon, with the Brazilian arguably among the leading ‘keepers of his generation.

Sunderland have injury concern to "impressive" 24/ y/o alongside Ballard

This isn’t ideal for Regis Le Bris.

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By
Henry Jackson

Sep 15, 2024

Hopefully, he may feel that staying put at Sunderland for now is the best decision for him, before potentially testing himself elsewhere further down the line. Sealing promotion to the Premier League this season would certainly help, though, acting as a further incentive this season.