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On an unprecedented run of poor form under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City have unsurprisingly turned their attention towards the January transfer window – and are already reportedly preparing a big-money offer.

Man City transfer news

With 1 win in 13, the Premier League champions are no longer just wounded – they’re out for the count. Guardiola has never endured such a run during an almost flawless managerial career.

Even he – a true football genius – seems out of ideas. Never have the modern-day Citizens needed reinforcements so desperately, with their crown seemingly headed elsewhere and their Champions League status suddenly in danger.

On that front, the rumours are already underway. The likes of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz have both been linked, perhaps with Kevin De Bruyne’s contract situation in mind. The Belgian – to compile City’s misery – is set to depart as a free agent when the summer arrives as things stand.

However, before Wirtz or Musiala, it looks as though those at the Etihad could turn their attention towards the Italian Serie A in the January transfer window. According to reports in Spain, Man City are now preparing a €65m (£54m) offer to sign Tijjani Reijnders from Milan.

The Dutchman has been one of the few bright sparks for the Rossoneri so far this season and could now earn a move away as a result. Given his ability to play in defensive and attacking midfield, City’s interest should come as no surprise.

Man City can land Savinho upgrade in swoop for "unbelievable" £66m star

Manchester City are reportedly interested in a deal for the Premier League forward.

ByDan Emery Dec 27, 2024

If they’re looking to replace Rodri and find a replacement for the ageing Ilkay Gundogan when the Spaniard returns, Reijnders may well be the man to sign for Manchester City in 2025.

"Great" Reijnders can replace Rodri and more

Before anything, Manchester City must replace Rodri. The Spaniard’s absence has been their greatest problem, even amid further injuries within Guardiola’s squad.

Completing that task should add the control that they’re so desperately lacking – the control that they have become so famous for over the years. And that’s where Reijnders could come in.

At a struggling Milan side, the Dutch midfielder has often found himself at the centre of praise, including from Ben Mattinson. The analyst dubbed Reijnders a “great ball-carrier and progressor” last season and has watched on like the rest of European football as he has only continued to improve that trait in abundance.

With eight goals and three assists to his name so far this season, signing Reijnders could even solve Manchester City’s recent goal problem and ease the responsibility on Erling Haaland, who has struggled to reach his best form of late.

An Eberechi Eze-inspired Crystal Palace romped into the FA Cup semi-finals with a thumping 3-0 win at London rivals Fulham.

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Palace reach FA Cup semi-finalsBeat Fulham 3-0 at Craven CottageEze, Sarr and Nketiah on scoresheetFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱TELL ME MORE

Fulham began the game brightly, with Rodrigo Muniz and Andreas Pereira fashioning good chances in front of a fired-up support at Craven Cottage on Saturday. Despite being under the cosh, Palace nearly took the lead when Jefferson Lerma's 25-yard volley cannoned off the bar to fire a warning shot.

Somewhat against the run of play, the deadlock was broken in the 34th minute when Eze curled in a stunning strike from the edge of the box. The England international then fizzed in a delightful cross and team-mate Ismaila Sarr got ahead of his marker to make it 2-0 four minutes later.

The deflated Cottagers took a while to find their mojo again and nearly found a way back into the game when Calvin Bassey was denied by some last-ditch defending in a goalmouth scramble.

The defensively sound Eagles, who welcomed back striker Jean-Philippe Mateta following a horror head injury, put the game to bed when substitute Eddie Nketiah beat the offside trap and fired under the body of Bernd Leno 15 minutes from time. Palace advanced to their second FA Cup semi-final in four years as they seek to lift this trophy for the first time in their long history.

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While Chris Richards was a brick wall in defence, Eze was the spark that Palace needed to fire them to victory. He showed individual brilliance for his goal and his assist was sumptuous, too. If Palace are to win the FA Cup for the first time, the England international is likely to play a big part in that.

THE BIG LOSER

While none of Marco Silva's players had a particularly bad game, Fulham as a whole didn't create enough clear-cut chances and Palace were far more clinical. They didn't make use of home advantage and were well beaten.

Getty Images SportWHAT COMES NEXT?

Palace will now await the FA Cup semi-final draw on Sunday afternoon following the conclusion of Preston versus Aston Villa. A trip to Wembley awaits the south London outfit.

Burnley are now thought to be in January transfer talks to sign an £8m Europa League player for Scott Parker.

Burnley re-sign Ashley Barnes before Blackburn win

The Clarets recorded yet another derby win over rivals Blackburn. Rovers last time out, with Zian Flemming scoring the winner in the second half at Ewood Park.

The Championship win saw Burnley close the gap on league leaders Leeds United, with a four-horse race for automatic promotion also including Sheffield United and Sunderland.

The January transfer window could therefore be crucial in regards to Parker successfully taking Burnley back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, and the club have already made their first signing of 2025.

Iconic Clarets forward Ashley Barnes returned to Turf Moor just before the win at Blackburn and was an unused substitute at Ewood Park. Talking about Barnes’ surprise move back to the club from Norwich City, Parker said:

“To be honest with you, I’m sure you were sitting there thinking I must have known but things did move very quickly. Look, I wouldn’t have said it anyway, but they did move very, very quickly and we’re pleased to have Ashley in now. No doubt he can help us.

“An experienced head is exactly what we need, because it’s a young group. He has experienced things some of these players have not experienced. Sometimes that experience, it can’t just be my voice, it also helps to have those people in the changing room. We already have some of them, of course we do, but I think Ashley will come in and bring that calmness and level-head that we might need.”

Now, talks appear to be underway for another winter window signing, this time in defence.

Burnley in Victor Nelsson transfer talks

According to reports in Turkey, relayed by Sport Witness, Burnley are in transfer talks with Victor Nelsson of Galatasaray.

The centre-back is expected to leave the Turkish giants this month and is valued at €10m (£8.3m), with the Clarets in discussions with the player’s agent.

The Denmark international has made 15 appearances in all competitions this season for Galatasaray, three of which have come in the Europa League. In total, Nelsson has turned out on 141 occasions for Galatasaray since 2021, but his days could be numbered and a move to Turf Moor may well be on the cards.

Nelsson, who was linked to Arsenal in 2023, was called a “lion” by board member Resit Omer Kukner in March 2022, saying:

“Dear Victor Nelsson, You are Galatasaray’s first Danish player. Beside being a great athlete devoted to his Club, your attitude on and off the pitch is winning hearts of millions. Your jersey gesture after the match is beyond description. You are our Danish lion!”

The defender has had regular Premier League interest in recent years, with West Ham also recently linked, so if Burnley could land Nelsson, it may prove to be a major coup in the second tier.

Former England star Paul Merson has slammed Enzo Maresca for benching key players in Chelsea's goalless draw against Brentford.

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Maresca slammed for poor team selection against BrentfordPalmer and Jackson did not startBlues were held to a goalless drawFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The attacking pair of Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer were missing from Maresca's starting lineup last Saturday as the Blues took the field in the Premier League. While both players were introduced in the second half, Chelsea failed to break the deadlock as they were held to a goalless draw. Maresca's strange team selection did not go down well with ex-Arsenal star Merson, as he slammed the Italian coach for prioritising the Europa Conference League over Champions League qualification.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT PAUL MERSON SAID

In his column for , the 57-year-old wrote: "I couldn't believe the team Enzo Maresca put out at Brentford. When that team came out, I was flabbergasted. It was pathetic. Chelsea have won the Champions League. This is the Europa Conference League – and he's resting players for it? Getting into the Champions League has to be the be all and end all. They have to be in it. If they come sixth in the Premier League and win the Europa Conference League, it would be a shocker. A shocker.

"This is Legia Warsaw, no disrespect to them but they won't beat Chelsea over two legs. You have to beat Brentford. If they had won that game, then beat Ipswich at the weekend, they would have Champions League football in their hands with six games to go. And then look at what happened when those subs like Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson came on. They dominated Brentford. But now, they are right up against it. Chelsea might have to finish ahead of Manchester City to qualify for the Champions League, in an era when every team that finished ahead of City won the Premier League."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Merson added: "Maresca won't win me over until the end of May. People tell me that Chelsea are doing well, but they've got one of the biggest squads in the world and they aren't even close to winning the Premier League. Man City and Arsenal have dominated the Premier League the last two years and Chelsea are a million points off the title in the year they drop off. And these players are going to be together for the next six or seven years because of their contracts.

"It's madness, absolutely madness. Six big-money players are currently out on loan because they aren't playing so it might be an absolute disaster if they do not get Champions League football next season. And winning the Conference League? Come on. There are two or three teams in this competition that I've never even heard of. I went to Stamford Bridge and watched them play FC Noah!"

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

The West London club are scheduled to face Legia Warsaw on Thursday away from home in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final fixture.

The striker came up short once again while the wing-back spurned a couple of fine chances as United failed to see off their lacklustre neighbours

Manchester United let Manchester City off the hook and missed a glorious opportunity to do the double on their noisy neighbours in a flat derby which ended 0-0. The Red Devils played the more positive football and looked most likely to find a winner but they were toothless in attack, as Rasmus Hojlund lacked presence in the box in his latest anonymous display.

Patrick Dorgu also disappointed, getting in behind City on a couple of occasions in promising attacks but making the wrong decision each time, miscontrolling on one occasion and firing well wide of goal on the other.

Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho were United's most lively players but there was a glaring lack of cutting edge for Ruben Amorim's side, who have just one point to show in their two games since returning from the international break. On the plus side, they avoided defeat against their rivals and suffered no injuries ahead of their Europa League quarter-final tie with Lyon.

GOAL rates Man United's players from Old Trafford…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Andre Onana (6/10):

Comfortable with the few shots he had to face, the best of which was his diving save to keep out Marmoush's free-kick.

Noussair Mazraoui (7/10):

A battling performance, always quick to plug any gaps at the back.

Harry Maguire (5/10):

A little rusty on his first start in one month, with iffy distribution. He did manage to keep City's forwards at bay but that was largely out of them offering so little.

Leny Yoro (6/10):

Tested a couple of times by Nico O'Reilly. Hit and miss with the ball, mislaying long passes but bringing it out well on other occasions.

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Diogo Dalot (6/10):

Good from a defensive point of view. Created a good chance for Garnacho with an inviting cross.

Manuel Ugarte (5/10):

Clumsy on the ball and erratic when tackling. Went close with a fizzing drive from outside the box.

Casemiro (6/10):

Another decent display. Stifled City's midfield, albeit helped by his opponents' lack of intensity, and spread the play well.

Patrick Dorgu (4/10):

Hugely disappointing, letting down promising attacks on a couple of occasions with poor touches or shooting. Also gave De Bruyne too much freedom down the wing.

Getty Images SportAttack

Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

The brains of the attacking operation. Fuelled all the attacks, often from deep-lying positions, but let down by his team-mates.

Rasmus Hojlund (4/10):

Yet again didn't get into any key attacking areas or cause any danger.

Alejandro Garnacho (6/10):

Looked the most likely source of a goal with his darting runs but lacked a cutting edge.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Victor Lindelof (6/10):

Comfortable and competent after replacing Maguire.

Mason Mount (5/10):

Didn't get into the game and picked up a booking.

Joshua Zirkzee (6/10):

Made stuff happen with tidy link play.

Ruben Amorim (6/10):

On the surface not a bad result but it feels like an opportunity missed for his side to further sink their teeth into their neighbours.

West Bromwich Albion had to make do with a draw on the road last time out in Chris Brunt’s latest game as Baggies interim boss.

If it hadn’t been for Welsh veteran Joe Allen unexpectedly scoring at the death, it would have been a successive win for the Northern Irishman in the Championship, but the Swansea City midfielder had other ideas unfortunately.

Whilst Brunt has impressed in spells since taking on the reins unexpectedly from Carlos Corberan, it seems as if the second-tier promotion candidates are pressing on with replacing the Spaniard outright.

West Brom holding talks with bold Corberan replacement

As per recent reports from @talkwba on X (formerly Twitter) West Brom look set to hold talks with former Young Boys manager Raphael Wicky about taking over from Corberan, in what would be a left-field choice of replacement.

Described as being ‘well liked’ by the second-tier outfit, the Swiss manager would join the English game off the back of succeeding in his native Switzerland, alongside managing further afield in the United States with Chicago Fire.

Whilst he boasts no experience of the tough demands of EFL football yet, the Baggies will pray he acclimatises swiftly to his new surroundings if a deal is to be secured, having already made a name for himself on these shores when getting the better of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City back in 2018 as Basel boss.

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What Wicky could offer West Brom

Wicky wasn’t facing off against the battered and bruised version of City now either, with his Basel side handing out a first home loss of the season to the super-confident hosts when picking up an almighty 2-1 scalp.

In that same run of fixtures in the Champions League, Basel also managed to get the better of Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United 1-0, with both titans of the English game remarkably humbled by the 47-year-old’s methods.

Domestically in Switzerland, Wicky would also prove to be a hit when he was Young Boys manager, leading the side to a Swiss League and Cup double as boss during a very successful 2022/23 season.

Therefore, everything points in the direction that he could go on to be a great successor to Corberan’s throne in managing to get more out of an underdog team like the now Valencia boss pulled off for the Baggies when he first arrived and they were near the foot of the Championship.

Games managed

321

244

Wins

168

96

Draws

62

64

Losses

91

83

Yet, despite Corberan turning West Brom into regular play-off challengers away from worrying about the drop under Steve Bruce, Wicky boasts more overall victories as a manager at 168 contrasted next to his counterpart’s 96, albeit from a significant boost of 77 more clashes.

Still, that win percentage – which comes in at 52% – cannot just be brushed aside after one look, with the 47-year-old wanting to pick up more and more victories as a boss if the Hawthorns do come calling soon.

Often utilising the 4-2-3-1 formation when in charge at Young Boys – alongside a more preferred 4-4-2 set-up – this will suit the current Baggies set-up perfectly well with Tom Fellows a constant menace down the wings alongside offering the team a strong defensive shape.

It was always going to be a tough ask for West Brom to immediately go out and find a dream successor, but in Wicky, the promotion hopefuls could strike gold on what is somewhat of an unknown entity.

West Brom struck gold on star who is now worth more than Mowatt & Johnston

West Bromwich Albion will pray this star isn’t tempted by a move away this January.

ByKelan Sarson Jan 4, 2025

Captain remains 114 not out after contributions from Bartlett and Renshaw against Yorkshire

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2022Tom Abell’s third LV= Insurance County Championship century of the season led Somerset to 262 for 5 on the opening day of the match with Yorkshire at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.The skipper ended the day unbeaten on 114, having faced 217 balls and hit 14 fours and 2 sixes. Other important contributions came from Matt Renshaw (43) and George Bartlett (46).Matthew Waite was the pick of the Yorkshire seamers, with 2 for 35 from 16 overs, while former Somerset off-spinner Dom Bess took 2 for 29 from 18.It was decided before the start not to employ the suggested 4.30pm finish on day one because of the forecast extreme heat and to stick to the normal hours of play. In the event, much of the morning session was played under cloudy skies and during the lunch interval it started raining.Somerset had progressed to 25 in the seventh over when Tom Lammonby, on four, edged a drive off Jordan Thompson to Tom Kohler-Cadmore at first slip.Kohler-Cadmore, bound for Somerset next season, was making his first Championship appearance of the summer for Yorkshire following a long battle to overcome the effects of concussion, which saw him sidelined until the Vitality Blast campaign.Renshaw made a confident start and looked in good touch, but began to encounter problems when Waite produced an excellent seven-over spell from the River End. He beat the Australian twice in the 19th over and then pinned him lbw for 43, with a ball that nipped back in his next, before ending the stint, which included four maidens, with figures of 1 for five.Abell spent 29 balls on 11, studiously attempting to lay the foundation for a meaningful first-innings total.By lunch, the Somerset skipper had progressed to 21, with Bartlett unbeaten on 15 in a total of 99 for two from 28 overs.The resumption was delayed until 3.30pm by rain, with 20 overs lost and tea set for 4.30pm.Abell and Bartlett brought up a half-century stand off 67 balls before the latter was dropped on 26 by Kohler-Cadmore, two-handed low to his left off Shannon Gabriel with the score 127 for 2.Abell reached a solid fifty off 101 balls, with his seventh four, a leg-glance off Matthew Revis,By tea, the Somerset pair had added 98 and taken the total to 164 for 2 from 42 overs. Batting was looking comfortable with the sun shining.The final session comprised 34 overs and began at 4.50pm. It saw Bartlett bring up the hundred partnership with a four to fine leg off a loose ball from Bess.Making good use of the square cut, Bartlett hit 8 fours in his 87-ball innings before, with the total on 197, he top-edged a pull shot off Waite to be caught by Revis at long leg.Kohler-Cadmore atoned for his earlier error with a stunning one-handed catch, diving to his left at slip, to help Bess dismiss Lewis Goldsworthy and at 210 for 4, Abell’s staunch work was in danger of being undone. His response was to dig in again on 80 before cutting loose with two swept sixes in the first three overs sent down by off-spinner Jack Shutt.James Rew fell to another sharp Kohler-Cadmore catch off Bess after Abell had reached a 198-ball hundred with a two off his former colleague.

A medal is something that will inspire people back home, the captain said after a batting collapse cost them the gold

Shashank Kishore08-Aug-20221:06

Harmanpreet: ‘The silver medal will inspire people back home’

As she stood on the podium to receive her silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Harmanpreet Kaur’s body language told you of the hurt of having missed another golden opportunity to beat Australia in a final.Minutes later, as she gathered her thoughts to speak to the media, Harmanpreet was a lot more accepting of the result and spoke of the effect it could have on a young generation of Indian women who want to play the sport.”I’m happy and satisfied with the way we played throughout,” Harmanpreet said after India fell short of the gold medal by nine runs. “I know we were close to winning gold, but all around our performance was great. This is the first time we got to play in this tournament and we’re happy to have won a silver medal.”A medal is something people back home will get inspired by, and they could start playing cricket. As a team, we want to inspire young girls. Doing well on this platform will motivate a lot of people back home.”Related

Mooney, Gardner and Schutt lead Australia to gold in pulsating final

Tahlia McGrath plays CWG final despite testing positive for Covid-19

Even as the gold medal slipped out of their reach, India won plenty of admirers with their actions even before a ball was bowled in the final. Australian allrounder Tahlia McGrath testing positive for Covid-19 cast a shadow over her participation, even as the CWG rules deemed her fit enough to play.The toss had to be delayed in the wake of this development, but Harmanpreet later explained the sequence of events that led to McGrath’s inclusion in Australia’s XI.”They informed us before the toss,” Harmanpreet said. “That was something not in our control. The CWG had to take a decision and we were okay with it since she [Tahlia McGrath] wasn’t very ill, so we decided to play. We had to show sportsman spirit. I’m happy we didn’t say no to Tahlia, it [missing the final] would have been very hard-hitting for her.”Once they took the field, India played aggressively, like they had all tournament. They attacked with the bat to score 150-plus in four of their five matches, and in the absence of veterans like Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey, a young bowling attack showed India’s future is in skilled hands.Renuka Singh, in particular, was menacing with her late inswing. Offspinner Sneh Rana handled high-pressure situations with maturity, while Deepti Sharma and Meghna Singh were also impressive in patches.In the grand finale, India’s fielding was top notch. Radha Yadav pulled off a superb run-out at the bowler’s end – back-flicking the ball between her legs during her follow through – to dismiss the dangerous Meg Lanning, and then took a diving catch at point to dismiss McGrath. There was also a one-handed stunner from Deepti and a catch running back by Meghna, all of which contributed to India restricting Australia to 161 for 8.2:23

Rodrigues: ‘This team has a lot of potential and will do wonders’

“If you want to beat this Australian team, you have to field well,” Harmanpreet said. “If you give them easy runs, they can easily take the game away. We discussed it in the team meeting and Radha set the example for us.”The effort we put up today is something we wanted to do. I know the last 2-3 overs [in the chase] were not in our favour but throughout the game, the way we played was outstanding to watch. We’ve been working on our fielding for a long time. I’m happy with the way we fielded today.”During the chase, India lost two early wickets but Harmanpreet and Jemimah Rodrigues added 96 to revive India’s gold-medal hopes, before they lost their last eight wickets for 34 runs.”After losing two crucial wickets, the way Jemi and I batted was much needed at that time,” Harmanpreet said. “You need to hold your nerves. We were nearly there. Maybe if Pooja [Vastrakar] or I were around, we could’ve won the game. But that is part of the game; sometimes, some things you can’t control. It is great learning for us.”I am someone who is always looking for one more batter in the side. Unfortunately, we’re working on that. Once we get that, this thing [collapsing] will go away. Every time in big finals, we make the same mistakes again and again [with the bat], that is something we have to improve. We don’t do these mistakes in the league phase or in bilateral. That is blocking our mind somewhere.”When asked to sum up where they are as a team, Harmanpreet echoed Lanning’s thoughts that India weren’t far away from becoming a dominant force.”Yes definitely, I know we could’ve easily won gold, but something is better than nothing, at least we got silver,” Harmanpreet said. “We deserved it for so much hard work. If not gold, we’re satisfied with what we got today.”[As a team] we are on the right track, we just need to keep working hard. As Lanning said, we’re not far from dominating across formats.”

Chelsea have been known to conduct numerous high-profile deals through January transfer windows in the past, not being afraid to splash the cash in the winter months.

Rewind just a couple of years, Enzo Fernández joined the Blues in a £106.8m deal from Benfica – a deal which at the time broke their club-record transfer fee.

Mykhailo Mudryk also arrived during the same transfer window from Shakhtar Donetsk for a fee in the region of £88m, looking to provide added quality in wide areas under then-boss Graham Potter.

However, the Ukrainian has been unable to make any form of positive impact at Stamford Bridge since his big-money move, scoring just ten times in his 73 appearances.

Such form has led to the club dipping into the transfer market this month to try and improve the options available at Enzo Maresca’s disposal for the rest of the Premier League season and beyond.

Chelsea’s hunt for a new winger in January

Alejandro Garnacho has been one name that has been mentioned over a move to West London in recent weeks, with current side Manchester United open to parting ways with the Argentine this month.

The 20-year-old has made 32 appearances throughout 2024/25, scoring eight times, leading to interest from the Blues and Napoli, with the Red Devils demanding a fee in the region of £55m to sell their star youngster.

Another name that has been thrown into the mix is Borussia Dortmund’s English attacker Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, but Maresca’s side would face huge competition from Liverpool for his signature.

Both sides have sent scouts to watch the talented youngster, but neither have yet made an offer to prise the former Manchester City academy star away from the Bundesliga outfit.

With no progress yet to be made on either of the two deals, time is ticking with the window having less than two weeks left until it slams shut, which could see the club target alternative options.

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Chelsea could land winger who’s better than Gittens

Given the nature of the targets which have regularly cropped up in recent weeks, it’s evident that Maresca and the hierarchy feel as though a winger is needed between now and the end of the month.

Garnacho and Gittens have emerged as two of the leading candidates to fulfil the positions in wide areas, but with time running out in the window, other players may need to be considered over a move to West London.

The Blues have been the home to numerous attacking stars and could land themselves another one in the form of Atlético Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who has previously been of interest to Maresca.

The Spaniard was linked with a move to the Bridge at the start of January, but no progress has been made in a deal to land the 22-year-old who currently has a £50m release clause in his contract.

However, when delving into his figures from the ongoing campaign, Williams has produced numerous stats that are better than Gittens highlighting what a phenomenal addition he would be to the Blues in their hunt for a top-four spot.

Games played

18

18

Goals & assists

4

10

Progressive passes

3.2

1.8

Shot-creating actions

5.2

3.1

Carries into the final third

2.8

2.7

Crosses completed

5

2.8

Aerials won

0.5

0.2

The Bilbao star, who’s been dubbed “one of the best wingers” by analyst Ben Mattinson, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but he’s certainly a complete package when it comes to beating a player and producing a high volume of scoring opportunities. He has registered more progressive passes and more carries into the final third per 90 – highlighting his attacking threat.

Williams has also managed to achieve more shot-creating actions, along with a higher tally of crosses completed per 90, handing other players in the squad the ammunition needed to succeed in the final third.

Given his impressive form for Bilbao in recent times, the youngster would be a superb player for Maresca’s squad, offering the added threat he’s so desperately been hunting for in recent weeks.

His release clause could be a potential bargain – particularly as Gittens has reportedly been valued at £85m – and if he is to carry over his superb form from LaLiga to the Premier League, it could be a wonderful piece of business.

He's a dream for Palmer: Chelsea hold talks to sign £67m "menace"

Chelsea have made contact over a deal to sign the £67m-rated centre-forward.

2 ByDan Emery Jan 22, 2025

Manchester United have been told to sell Antony in the summer despite the winger's form since joining Betis on loan.

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Antony excelling on loan in La LigaBetis eager to sign him in permanent dealSheringham tells Red Devils to sellFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazil international flopped at Old Trafford after his big-money move from Ajax in 2022, but he enjoyed an immediate resurgence after moving to Spain in January, scoring four goals and setting up as many in 14 games.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The 25-year-old's return to form has sparked suggestions he could still have a future at Old Trafford, but former Red Devils star Teddy Sheringham has urged the club to cut their losses with the player should they receive a good enough offer for him.

WHAT SHERINGHAM SAID

"It all depends on how the manager gets on with him, what sort of relationship he's got with [Amorim]," he told . "I know he didn't buy him, I know Ten Hag brought him in. You never know. Antony might have a nice relationship with Amorim. He might get on with him and they'll have the conversation and he might say to him, I want you to come back. And he might say, I don't want to come back. Why would I want to come back there and get all that stick when I'm enjoying myself in Spain?

"For me, just get enough money for him and sell. It's not the be all and end all for all these players at the moment at Man United. It's a fantastic club when it's going well, but there's a lot of stick to take as well if things aren't going well and there’s a big rebuilding situation for the manager and the football club, for Jim Ratcliffe and whoever, so do you want to be part of that and still be there or do you want to just enjoy your football and be where you are?"

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DID YOU KNOW?

Betis' sporting director said recently that they will do "everything" to keep Antony at the club beyond this season, while the club's chief executive believes they have a good chance of working out a deal.