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Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler says Darwin Nunez is not good enough for the Reds following his performance against Accrington Stanley.

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• Nunez wasteful against Accrington Stanley
• Forward torn to shreds by Fowler
• Hasn't scored for Liverpool in five games

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Nunez set up Diogo Jota for the opening goal in the FA Cup third round tie at Anfield on Saturday, but the forward's finishing let him down as he failed to score from his five attempts.

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  Liverpool went on to win 4-0 with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jayden Danns and Federco Chiesa all scoring, but Nunez's wasteful display was called out by former striker Fowler, who feels the 25-year-old is out of time to prove he deserves a place in Arne Slot's team.

• WHAT FOWLER SAID

  "We're saying the same things now that we were saying two or three years ago, he's raw, he's this, he's that. We can't keep saying that stuff. The more I see him, the more I think he's not a Liverpool player," Fowler said on . "People might have a go at me for saying this [because] he works hard. You're not bringing in a player because he works hard. That should be a prerequisite anyway. You've got to come in [and] score goals. And I know he's a fan favourite for what he puts in but you've got to perform better and you've got to do better in that Liverpool shirt."

  He went on: "I don't think he's quick enough in his thought in terms of how he should be finishing,' he added. 'He's quick on the ground, we know how quick he is, but when you are a striker, your speed of thought has got to be quicker than anyone else. When he has time to think about it, he struggles. I think his speed of thought as a striker… has got to improve."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The ex-Benfica star has faced criticism throughout his time at Anfield and has not been able to keep a place in the starting XI this season. Just seven of his 15 Premier League appearances have been as a starter, netting two goals in the competition so far.

Paul Pogba has vowed to try and convince Antoine Griezmann to reverse his international retirement if he returns to the France national team.

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• Pogba eyeing France comeback
• Will try & convince Griezmann to join him
• Midfielder set to return to football in March

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The World Cup-winning France star, who saw his doping ban reduced to 18 months last year following an appeal to the Court of Sports Arbitration (CAS), is all set to return to competitive football in March. He is yet to finalise his next destination but has attracted interest from several clubs across the globe, including teams from France, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The midfielder is also determined to return to the national team setup. The 31-year-old has not played for Les Bleus since 2022 but now wants to stage a comeback at the international arena. The ex-Manchester United and Juventus star also vowed to convince Antoine Griezmann to reverse his decision to retire from the national team, if he gets picked by Didier Deschamps.

• WHAT PAUL POGBA SAID

  Speaking to French Twitch streamer , Pogba said of a potential return to the Les Bleus fold with Griezmann: "I also miss the French team. I miss playing. If I come back, I tell him: 'Come back'. If I come back to the selection, I give him a call. Straight away."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PAUL POGBA?

  The midfielder will evaluate any offers on the table in the next one-and-a-half months before picking the right option for his future. He has been strongly advised to reunite with Mason Greenwood at Marseille by ex-France star Emmanuel Petit, and Champions League football would be on offer at Stade Velodrome to potentially boost his chances of a France recall.

Nottingham Forest travel to face Brighton and Hove Albion tomorrow afternoon looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the new Premier League season.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side claimed a famous victory over Liverpool last weekend, beating Arne Slot’s side for the first time since 1969, ending their unbeaten start to the 2024/25 campaign.

The Reds have also defeated Southampton, whilst drawing with Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the opening four games so far in the league.

However, Sunday’s clash presents another challenge for Nuno’s side, facing another unbeaten outfit in the form of Fabian Hurzeler’s side. The Seagulls have matched the Reds’ start to the campaign, with both sides sitting on eight points in the Premier League.

If Forest are to secure a third league win of the new campaign, he may have to brutally drop one player who started the victory at Anfield last weekend.

Why Nuno may drop Chris Wood against Brighton

Striker Chris Wood has already started the new season with a bang, scoring two goals in the opening four matches – currently boasting the highest tally in the squad.

However, he’s scored both his goals at the City Ground, failing to bag away from home, with the Reds operating with a more counter-attacking system when playing away from Trentside.

The 32-year-old isn’t the quickest option at the top end of the pitch, mainly utilised as a target man rather than a player who can rapidly transition the play when in possession.

Wood featured for 81 minutes in the victory on Merseyside last weekend, only completing four passes and losing all eight of the duels that he entered.

His hold-up play demands the New Zealand international to be dominant in the air whilst linking up with his teammates to present frequent opportunities in transition.

As a result of his below-par performance against Slot’s side, he could be replaced by one player who produced an impressive cameo during his limited minutes towards the closing stages of the win.

The man who could replace Wood against Brighton

Forward Jota Silva is yet to start a league game after his £7m move from Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes during the recent transfer window.

However, the 25-year-old has already opened his account for the Reds, scoring the equalising goal in the Carabao Cup defeat against Newcastle United last month.

Silva, who’s previously been dubbed as a “machine” by Portuguese commentator Tomas de Cunha, was brought on to replace Wood last weekend, completing just two fewer passes and winning more aerial duels despite featuring for 72 minutes less than the former Newcastle ace.

He also has the pace on the counter to cause the opposition problems alongside Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi, potentially forming a deadly trio at the top end of the pitch for Nuno’s side.

Despite his significantly smaller frame than Wood, he’s demonstrated his aerial ability, potentially handing the Reds an option in the air if needed to ease any pressure on the backline.

With today’s game another opportunity for Forest to continue their impressive start to the season, Nuno must make some bold calls to give his side the best chance of extending their unbeaten run.

Jota would be the perfect player to replace Wood, with his all-round ability in the final handing the club the best chance of securing a fifth successive league win.

Nottingham Forest ace sold for only £4m is now one of the best in the world

Forest may regret star sold on a cheap who is now thriving

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By
Connor Holden

Sep 13, 2024

After two consecutive draws in the Premier League, Manchester City got back to winning ways against Fulham at the Etihad Stadium with a 3-2 victory.

The Cottagers did not make things easy for the eight-time English champions, but Pep Guardiola’s side got the victory. They are now unbeaten at home for the past 50 games in all competitions, a run which dates back to November 2022, as per Fabrizio Romano.

It was Marco Silva’s side who went 1-0 up, with Manchester United academy graduate Andreas Pereira putting a smile on the faces of Red Devils fans by giving Fulham the lead. Mateo Kovacic equalised for the Citizens six minutes later and gave them the lead just two minutes into the second half.

City got their crucial third goal through Jeremy Doku, who received the ball just outside the Fulham penalty box from Rico Lewis. He drove at the Cottagers’ defence before unleashing a shot which flew into the top corner. Fulham did pull one back through Rodrigo Muniz late on, but couldn’t find an equaliser.

It was a tough day at the office for City, but they ultimately managed to get over the line thanks to some standout performances from the likes of matchwinner Kovacic.

Kovacic's stats v Fulham

There is no doubt that Croatia international Kovacic has a big season ahead of him in Rodri’s absence; the Spaniard is likely to miss the entire season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Kovacic has started strongly, although instead of vital midfield contributions, he popped up with two key goals on Saturday afternoon.

His first goal was a volley following a corner, which was drilled into a mass of defenders and into the Fulham goal via a deflection. His second strike was a tidy finish from the edge of the area. Kovacic received a pass from Bernardo Silva before taking a touch to get the ball on his right foot and firing home into the bottom left-hand corner.

His performance today ensured the midfielder received a 7/10 rating from Simon Bajkowski from the Manchester Evening News, praising Kovacic for “two moments of quality” in front of goal.

It was a good day’s work for City No 8 and this was reflected in his stats on Sofascore after the match. He had 98 touches of the ball against Fulham, completing 90% of his passes – 77 from 86, to be exact. Along with his brace, the midfielder managed to win one duel and one tackle.

Kovacic can certainly be happy with his performance against Fulham, but there was another Citizen who was arguably even more of a standout. That player was Josko Gvardiol.

Gvardiol’s stats vs Fulham

If Kovacic put in a good shift, then fellow Croatia international Gvardiol was even better. He has never looked out of place at left-back since joining City last summer, and today was no different against Silva’s side.

The former RB Leipzig defender is a player who possesses great quality in possession, whilst also being extremely tough in duels thanks to his 6 foot 1 frame. That was certainly on show against the Whites, with Gvardiol showing complete control throughout the game.

His match stats certainly reflect such an impressive day at the office. The defender had a commanding, match-high 118 touches, with a 95% pass accuracy to go along with that, completing 95 from 100 attempts. Defensively, Gvardiol made four clearances and won three from four ground duels.

It was a dominant showing from City’s No 24 and received a post-match rating of 8/10 from Bajkowski. He complimented the defender for making several “excellent blocks and interceptions” that kept City in the game and ultimately got them over the line.

It was a dominant showing from Gvardiol, who keeps getting better in a City shirt. Guardiola will surely hope he can keep up that form following the October international break.

Neymar couldn't hold back tears during an emotional unveiling as he returned to boyhood club Santos on Friday.

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• Neymar unveiled at Santos in an emotional ceremony
• Broke down in tears while addressing fans
• Returned to Santos after 12 years

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Brazil star returned to his boyhood club after 12 years as Santos unveiled their icon to a massive reception with thousands of fans in attendance. Neymar broke down in tears while addressing the crowd, as the fans cheered for their 'prince'. The 32-year-old's contract at Al-Hilal was terminated earlier this week after a disastrous, injury-ravaged 18 months in the Middle East.

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• WHAT NEYMAR SAID ABOUT JOINING SANTOS

  After the unveiling ceremony, Neymar spoke to the media in a press conference, where he said: "There are some decisions that go beyond the logic of soccer, and some are impactful. When I was sure I was coming back, I confess that in January, at the beginning of January, I couldn't imagine coming back to Santos or leaving Al Hilal.

  "I was very happy there, my family was very happy there, and I was very adapted and full of desire to play. Things happened and I had to make a decision. I started to feel sad in training, on a day-to-day basis, and it wasn't going very well for me. The opportunity to return came up and I didn't think twice."

  He added: "From the first day, I had already decided to come back, I told my father and everything worked out. Everyone is happy. I'm back with renewed energy. Ever since I set foot here I feel like I'm 17 again. I'm very happy, excited and very keen to play."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR?

  The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star is expected to kick off his second stint with Santos in March when the 2025 Brazilian Serie A gets underway.

Angel Gomes’ career so far has been quite the adventure. A Manchester United academy graduate, the English midfielder was released by the Red Devils in 2020 after being unable to make his mark in the first team. As a free agent, he was snapped up by Ligue 1 side Lille before being loaned out to Portuguese side Boavista.

After a stellar season in Iberia, he returned to Lille, where he has since been a regular starter for the six-time French champions. Now, not only is he an England international, but the 24-year-old is also attracting the attention of clubs from across the continent.

Manchester United

Realising they may have made an error in allowing Angel Gomes to leave the club, the Red Devils are now keen to bring him back to Old Trafford. That’s according to GiveMeSport, which reported last month that United are “mulling over handing Gomes a chance to return” as he would count towards their homegrown quota.

According to GiveMeSport, United boss Erik ten Hag has told his scouting department to keep tabs on Gomes to see whether he can adjust to their style of play. However, if United did want to bring Gomes back, they’d have to give him a hefty pay rise, with the player reportedly looking to earn somewhere in the region of £150,000 per week. Gomes has previously said that he one day would like to return to Old Trafford.

“Do I imagine myself coming back one day? Obviously, it’s home. I would love to come back, but you never know in football,” he told L’Equipe last year. “I just have to keep my feet on the ground, and keep playing, making the most of it. I can’t predict what will happen in the future.”

Ten Hag tells Man Utd to track new midfield target demanding £150,000-p/w

Erik ten Hag is pushing Man United’s hierarchy to watch over the young star.

By
Brett Worthington

Sep 19, 2024

Liverpool

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Liverpool sent scouts to watch Gomes in action last month. They reported that Liverpool’s chief executive of football, Michael Edwards, sent representatives from Anfield to watch Gomes in Lille’s 1-0 defeat at Saint-Etienne as they continue to consider a January move for the midfielder.

Should he join Liverpool, Gomes would become the 13th player to have played for both United and the Reds, joining the likes of Michael Owen, Paul Ince, and Peter Beardsley.

Michael Edwards now sends Liverpool officials to scout 24 y/o rising star

He could be an exciting midfield addition.

By
Henry Jackson

Sep 18, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur

According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham are seriously considering a move for Gomes. It was claimed last month that Spurs want to offer the 24-year-old a “route back to his homeland” and hope that they can negotiate a low-cost deal with Lille in January due to the midfielder’s contract expiring in the summer.

Last summer, Spurs allowed three deep-lying midfielders to leave in the form of Oliver Skipp, Tanguy Ndombele and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, but only signed one player in the same position – that being Archie Gray, who they splashed £40 million on to bring in from Leeds United.

Tottenham really considering offer for "intelligent" £21m-rated England ace

He could be available at a low cost.

By
Emilio Galantini

Sep 19, 2024

Manchester City

Few players in history have ever dared to cross the divide by representing Manchester United and Manchester City. According to TBR Football, City are hoping Gomes will soon be one of theirs.

It was reported in early October that the Sky Blues had joined the race to sign Gomes, with the club eyeing the Englishman as a long-term replacement for Ilkay Gundogan, who turns 34 at the end of October. Former United midfielder Nicky Butt said last month that Gomes is so good, he “could play for City tomorrow”.

Man City confident on new Guardiola contract and signing Gundogan successor

Man City re-signed Ilkay Gundogan in the summer, but they may have already found his long-term replacement.

By
Brett Worthington

Oct 9, 2024

Newcastle United

Gomes is thought to be Newcastle United’s top target for January. Reports relayed by Caught Offside stated in September that Magpies boss Eddie Howe is gearing up to make a move for the Lille star in the new year. However, while interested in Gomes, Newcastle do have “reservations about his size and slight frame”, according to recruitment expert and former United chief scout Mick Brown.

“He’s always been a talent, when he was at [Manchester] United as a kid, he was impressive at every level, but there were always question marks about his physicality,” Brown explained to Football Insider. “That’s why United let him go, but he’s gone abroad and been really impressive. I think French or Spanish football suits Angel more than the Premier League.”

He's like Bruno Guimaraes: Newcastle's top target for 2025 revealed

Eddie Howe is already looking ahead…

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By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 12, 2024

Aston Villa

Aston Villa are the most recent Premier League club to be linked with Gomes, with GiveMeSport reporting that Unai Emery’s side have joined the race to sign the England international.

If he was to join Villa, Gomes would be reunited with fellow midfielder Amadou Onana, whom he played alongside for Lille during the 2021/22 season. Onana left Lille to join Everton before moving to Villa in the summer for a fee of £50m.

Aston Villa tracking Kamara repeat in £11.5k-p/w gem who plays like Modric

He has shot to prominence this season.

By
Ben Browning

Oct 15, 2024

Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy has explained how the “greatest development” allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to become the “best in the world”.

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• Teenager joined Red Devils in 2003
• Went on to become an all-time great
• Still going strong at 40 years of age

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Prolific frontman Van Nistelrooy was already at Old Trafford when the Red Devils snapped up the potential of teenage Ronaldo in 2003. The Dutch striker did not make life easy for his Portuguese colleague, with it revealed that training ground arguments left CR7 in tears.

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  Ronaldo was, however, prepared to work hard on maximising his talent – with that relentless pursuit of perfection still serving him well at 40 years of age. The all-time great remains a talismanic presence for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr and his country.

• WHAT RUUD VAN NISTELROOY SAID

  Van Nistelrooy is not surprised by Ronaldo’s success and longevity, with the former United star – who is now in charge of Leicester – saying of the hottest prospects that he has witnessed: “There are so many – but seeing a young Cristiano Ronaldo come into the Manchester United dressing room and develop, within three years, into the best player in the world, was the greatest development I've ever seen.

  “So if you see how he works, how he lives his life to be the best he can be – that's the elite standard. He came into our dressing room with those standards, and he's said in interviews, I came into that dressing room and I had to live up to those standards every day.

  “He was open to learn and improve, and he worked and worked and worked every day, on the pitch, in the gym, in the recovery sessions, in his food, in his treatment. When you have seen those standards at the highest level, and you experience what that is – there are not many players who know that – so I was lucky.

  “I feel privileged that I can share that knowledge, and they became my standards. So when I see Cristiano or a 19-year-old Xavi Simons come from Paris (Saint-Germain) on a free – he believed in the pathway at PSV with me as the manager, with the training model we have to improve young players. He bought into it and the rest is history. It's standards and talent combined.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Ronaldo won the first of his Champions League crowns and Ballons d’Or while on United’s books and has gone on to become the greatest goalscorer that the world has ever seen, with it his intention to reach 1,000 efforts in that department before any thought is given to retirement.

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has urged referees to "speak up" amid Real Madrid's complaints over the standard of officiating in La Liga.

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• Real make complaint
• Barca boss weighs in
• Urges refs to go public

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Referees have been at the centre of real controversy in Spain, with Real submitting a formal complaint to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) after their 1-0 loss to Espanyol, asking for VAR audio to be released. La Liga president Javier Tebas hit back, insisting that the Liga giants have "lost their minds".

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  Now, Flick has suggested that La Liga's officials should be willing to go public when it comes to explaining decisions. Barcelona have had their own issues with officials, and are continuing to fight the so-called 'Negreira case', although they no longer stand accused of bribing officials.

• WHAT HANSI FLICK SAID

  Flick told reporters: "Sometimes it would be nice if the referees spoke up. It could be an option, but their job is very hard. If they want to change something, I would be open to it."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Barcelona face Sevilla away from home on Sunday evening.

Leeds United should have been heading into the international break with a very impressive Championship away win versus Sunderland under their belt until the inexplicable happened at the death at the Stadium of Light.

Illan Meslier had other ideas, as the nervy Leeds goalkeeper somehow misjudged picking up a ball in the dying moments of the game, which ended up handing the Black Cats a share of the points in a 2-2 draw.

However, minus this moment of madness from the ex-Lorient ‘keeper, the defensive unit in West Yorkshire had been tight in recent league clashes, with only five second-tier goals shipped prior.

There’s definitely more confidence amongst the Leeds ranks with the likes of Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk at the back when compared with one centre-back flop who struggled all across his stay in England.

Robin Koch's struggles at Leeds

Purchased in the same disastrous transfer window that saw duds such as Helder Costa and Diego Llorente enter the building, Robin Koch proved to be another expensive misfire on Leeds’ end when arriving from SC Freiburg in the summer of 2020.

He would end up costing the Whites a hefty £13m, money that should have been better spent on recruiting a more comfortable option for the level, with Koch never settling in well to his new surroundings.

The lofty 6 foot 4 defender only made 17 league appearances in total during his first season, owing to an injury-disrupted second portion of the campaign, whilst later terms saw his time in West Yorkshire unravel due to abject performances at the back.

The atrocious year of 2022/23 from Leeds’ perspective, which saw the Whites fall back down to the Championship, was the final straw for the below-par German, who collected just five clean sheets in league action from 36 contests.

It’s fair to say the move now goes down as a failure, even if Koch was complimentary of the club on his exit this January, after making his switch to Eintracht Frankfurt permanent.

It feels like even more of a misstep when you take into account who Leeds could have got in over the inconsistent German, with a one-time Whites target then going on to be a £50m buy for a Premier League giant down the line.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

The player Leeds could have signed over Koch

The player in question is Arsenal star Ben White, who was keen on a permanent move to Elland Road in the summer of 2020, having helped his loan employers triumphantly return to the Premier League under the expert guidance of Marcelo Bielsa.

The lively former Leeds manager took a real shining to White when the pair were together in West Yorkshire, with the now more experienced 27-year-old playing every single minute of action available to him in the second tier during the successful 2019/20 season.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig would even refer to the wide-eyed White as a “warrior” when playing in the Championship, with his time at Leeds extremely formative.

He has never looked back since joining Arsenal either, with his 2022/23 season going far more swimmingly than Koch’s back at the Whites, picking up five assists when playing out from the back for Mikel Arteta’s men.

White would have been a far more appropriate fit for Bielsa’s men right after promotion over Koch, but the four-time senior England international agreed a new deal with Brighton and Hove Albion instead, after a return move to Elland Road unfortunately collapsed.

White even openly stated that he was ‘disappointed’ about a reunion never materialising, as per his agent, but he is more than content in North London right now, whilst Leeds are still left to rue their decision-making by shopping in Germany for Koch.

Leeds had interest in £25m PL star in the making but kept Bamford instead

The Whites were reportedly interested in signing the centre-forward in 2021.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 10, 2024

Spanish giants Barcelona are now after another prestigious member of the Chelsea squad, after registering their interest in midfielders Romeo Lavia and Carney Chukwuemeka very recently.

Barcelona target Chelsea stars Lavia and Chukwuemeka

Earlier this week, reliable Blues journalist Simon Phillips shared news that the Catalans are considering a raid on Stamford Bridge as they weigh up new men for Hansi Flick’s engine room – given they’re pretty short in the midfield department right now.

Chelsea hold discussions over £50m+ star who has outscored Nicolas Jackson

It could finally end Chelsea’s search for a new no.9 but they will have to move fast.

By
Ben Browning

Oct 21, 2024

Indeed, Flick’s side have issues in the middle of the park, leading them to consider both Lavia and Chukwuemeka as options.

While Barcelona are eyeing Lavia from Chelsea as a target, it is believed the club’s hierarchy and head coach Enzo Maresca in particular have adopted a firm ‘not for sale’ stance when it comes to the Belgian – as they theorize he’ll be a “vital” player in their long-term project.

It is a different case for Chukwuemeka, though. The 20-year-old, on a reported £100,000-per-week in west London, is up for grabs and there is a belief that Barcelona have been in contact with Chukwuemeka’s agents ahead of a potential move in January.

“The two names mentioned by our source is Lavia and Chukwuemeka, with Barcelona showing an interest in both players,” wrote Phillips via his Substack on Tuesday.

“There has also been agent contact, which we believe will be for Chukwuemeka as he is the player who is available in January. As for Lavia, we checked in with other club sources and they have said there is ‘absolutely ZERO chance’ Chelsea would even entertain an enquiry for the 20-year-old right now, and he is a huge part of the future of the club and someone who the club and Enzo Maresca see as vital for their plans and project going forward.

“Quite simply, they would tell Barcelona ‘not for sale at any price’ if an enquiry would come in. This will come as no surprise to anyone, thankfully. For Chukwuemeka though, Chelsea would be willing to hold talks over a sale.”

Barca are not the only elite European club after the former Aston Villa gem, with AC Milan also reaching out to Chukwuemeka’s representatives according to separate reports, so Flick may have some competition.

Barcelona eyeing move for Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez

Amid their fondness for Lavia and Chukwuemeka, Phillips also writes that the La Liga side are keen on £180,000-per-week mainstay midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

That is according to some of his sources, again via Substack, with Chelsea’s Fernandez attracting some interest from Barcelona ahead of 2025.

The Argentine World Cup winner signed for Chelsea in a deal worth £107 million last year, and despite a tough start, he is now beginning to impress under Maresca alongside fellow marquee midfielder Moises Caicedo.

This deal could be very unlikely to happen, considering Chelsea would want a good portion of the £107m they paid for Fernandez, and Barca’s well-documented financial problems suggest they wouldn’t even be able to get a move off the ground.

He is an ambitious target for Flick and their president Joan Laporta, with a deal for Chukwuemeka seeming far more realistic.