All posts by n8rngtd.top

Aston Villa have made some impressive signings since Unai Emery took over as manager in October 2022. The Spaniard has been at the helm for four transfer windows now and has so far brought in 19 new faces. That included two signings in his first window, January 2023, where they signed Jhon Duran and Alex Moreno.

The most expensive player who moved to Villa Park during Emery’s reign at the club was Amadou Onana from Everton. The Belgian midfielder cost £50m and has been an instant hit in claret and blue, scoring twice already.

However, one of his best players at Villa was actually someone who was brought in before his time in the Midlands, Leon Bailey.

Leon Bailey’s value in 2024

Jamaican winger Leon Bailey has had a challenging time at Villa Park. The 27-year-old started his career in England slowly, after signing from German outfit Bayer Leverkusen for £25m in 2021. Since Emery took charge of the club, he has looked like a completely different player.

Emery is famed for transforming careers that have previously seemed on the decline, and that certainly goes for the enterprising winger, who struggled in his first few seasons in claret and blue.

His first campaign saw him play 18 times in the Premier League under Steven Gerrard, getting just one goal and two assists. When Emery became manager, his numbers improved, and he recorded four goals and assists apiece in 33 top-flight games.

Last season, the 27-year-old looked like the player everyone saw tear things up for Leverkusen. His output was superb, playing 52 games in all competitions, scoring 14 goals and grabbing himself 14 assists.

It is perhaps unsurprising that Bailey’s transfer value has shot up since he has found his best form. As per Transfermarkt, the Jamaican is currently worth £35.4m, more than £10m than they paid for him over three years ago. It is a testament to his impressive performances that he is now worth so much.

However, he is not actually the highest-valued player at Villa Park, with Pau Torres, one of Emery’s most trusted players, among those who currently sit ahead of him.

Pau Torres’ value in 2024

It was a happy reunion for manager and player when the Villans signed central defender Torres from Villarreal last summer. Torres had previously played under his fellow Spaniard at Yellow Submarine, where they won the Europa League together in 2021.

Villa had to pay just £31.5m to sign the 27-year-old, who is undoubtedly now a key player at Villa Park, with journalist Dean Jones suggesting that he is "thriving" in English football.

Emery is a manager for whom he has played 147 times, over 100 times more than any manager in his career. With that in mind, it is perhaps unsurprising that Emery chose to reunite with one of his most trusted players over the years.

For the Villans alone, the Spain international has played 42 games, including 29 in the Premier League, missing a short period of time last term due to an ankle injury. So far this season, he has played 90 minutes in each of their three top-flight games.

As football analyst H pointed out on X, the former Villarreal defender is an “amazing” player with the ball at his feet and is one of the more progressive centre-backs in the Premier League, as the stats suggest.

According to FBref, he averaged 4.68 progressive passes and completed 1.53 progressive carries in the Premier League last season. That ranks him in the top 18% and 5% of English top flight defenders respectively.

Given the fact he has performed so well for the Villans over the past season, Torres’ value has risen quite substantially. He is now valued at £37.9m, as per Transfermarkt, showing a great investment on the £31.5m they spent on him originally.

It has certainly been an excellent piece of business by the Villans, and he will no doubt continue to be a key man under Emery.

Aston Villa struck gold on amazing ace who's worth £35m less than Diaby

Villa have a superstar ready to take over Diaby with immediate effect

By
Connor Holden

Sep 11, 2024

Paul Scholes has revealed the player who 'destroyed' him when he was at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Scholes reveals player who 'destroyed' him
• Midfielder is a member of the Class of '92
• But it was not always plain sailing

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Scholes may be one of the most legendary names in Manchester United's history but impressing in training did not always come easily. The former midfielder has revealed to The Telegraph that one of his biggest tests came against Andrei Kanchelskis, who had just signed from Shakhtar Donetsk and took no mercy on the academy players he had been asked to play with.

Advertisement

• WHAT SCHOLES SAID

  Scholes remembers his first meeting with Kanchelskis well, saying: "One of my first training sessions there I came out and I was maybe 17 and was asked to play left-back. The club had just signed him [Kanchelskis]. The first team didn’t have a game so he came over. I’m no left-back. We didn’t know much about him then. We just knew he was a flying winger. He destroyed me! I couldn’t live with him!"

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kanchelskis went on to have a successful United career, playing 161 times between 1991-95, but it was Scholes who would be remembered as one of the club's best ever players. Despite that difficult experience, he would make 714 appearances for the club, winning 13 Premier League titles and multiple other trophies.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kanchelskis is the answer to one of football's most popular trivia questions. Having made an impact all over English and Scottish football, he is the only player to have scored in the Manchester, Merseyside and Old Firm derbies.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, Manchester United have not exactly had the fortune they might have expected. The 13th and final Premier League title their legendary manager won has turned out to be their last, and since then the Red Devils have won just six trophies.

They have been all over the place in the transfer market, too, and under the ownership of the Glazer family, have been wayward with their signings without Ferguson at the helm. The 2024 summer is the first time in years they have had a sensible footballing structure, thanks to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s new minority stake in the club.

However, the Red Devils have made some transfer decisions that have paid off in recent years, and the sale of Romelu Lukaku is certainly one of those.

Lukaku’s time at Man United

Belgian striker Lukaku had a mixed time of things at Old Trafford. Given the fee they paid for him, which was an initial £75m from fellow Premier League side Everton, he did not live up to expectations in that famous red shirt.

Yet, his numbers, on the face of things, were not too bad. He played 96 games for the 13-time Premier League champions, finding the back of the net 42 times and grabbing 22 assists along the way, certainly respectable numbers.

The former Chelsea striker scored some crucial goals during his time in Manchester, too. He got a brace away to Paris Saint-Germain on that famous night in the French capital for United, and scored against Real Madrid in the Uefa Super Cup, although that proved to be a losing cause.

Frustratingly for Belgium’s all-time top goalscorer, he did not manage to get his hands on any silverware during his time at the club. The closest the Red Devils got during his two years at Old Trafford was the Super Cup defeat against Los Blancos and runners-up in the 2017/18 FA Cup final against Chelsea.

The Red Devils, then managed by legendary figure Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, decided to sell Lukaku for almost exactly what they paid for him, £74m, to Italian giants Inter, and it has proven to be a good decision in the long run.

Lukaku’s value in 2024

Since leaving Old Trafford back in August 2019, the Belgian has become something of a journeyman. His first spell at Inter was a huge success after they paid a club-record fee to acquire his services. He scored 47 Serie A goals in 72 games for the club, before returning to England, and Chelsea.

Lukaku’s return to Stamford Bridge was a disaster, and he stayed just one season before returning to the San Siro and Inter on loan. After playing in the Champions League final for I Nerazzurri, he did not return to the club and was instead loaned out to Roma, playing under Jose Mourinho once more.

Lukaku now finds himself at Napoli, a club he joined on a permanent deal for £30m. So far, the Belgian has enjoyed a successful time at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The Napoli number 11, who was described as a “flat-track bully” by football presenter Dougie Critchley, already has three goals and two assists in just four appearances for the Italian outfit.

His value since leaving Old Trafford has fluctuated greatly, according to Transfermarkt, the striker now finds himself valued at £25m, a whopping £49m less than what they sold him for, suggesting it was a smart move from the Red Devils to cash in on him when they did.

It perhaps comes down to personal opinion regarding Lukaku’s time for the Red Devils, and whether or not it was a success. Regardless, given the fact they recouped much of the original transfer fee, and his value has now decreased so much, it was arguably a wise decision from United to sell their former striker when they did.

Solskjaer almost sold Man Utd star who's now Ten Hag's "standout player"

The special talent has become an integral part of United’s team.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 28, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur's plan on Ange Postecoglou's future revealed after a humiliating defeat against Leicester City.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Spurs plan on Postecoglou's future revealed
• Went down against Leicester on Sunday
• Spurs eight points above relegation zone

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Richarlison's 33rd-minute strike had put Spurs in the lead but Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester City staged a remarkable comeback to clinch the clash 2-1 and pile more misery on the North London side. After Sunday's defeat at home, Ange Postecoglou's side are now just eight points above the relegation zone and currently 15th on the league table.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The series of poor results in the Premier League has fuelled speculations over the manager's future at the club, however, reports that the Lilywhites are not planning to part ways with Postecoglou amid a huge injury crisis in the squad and would rather focus on buying new players before the January transfer window closes next Monday and bolster the squad.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  After the clash against the Foxes, the 59-year-old Spurs boss got involved in a tense exchange at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with an angry fan who screamed “You’re taking us down” from the stands.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM?

  After suffering four successive defeats in the Premier League, Tottenham will be back in action in the Europa League on Thursday as they take on IF Elfsborg in their final league-stage match.

Turning their attention towards the future, Newcastle United are reportedly plotting a move to win the race to sign an in-demand attacking midfielder after sending scouts to watch their target in action.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies, of course, have plenty of making up to do after a difficult summer transfer window led to a lack of reinforcements for Eddie Howe’s side. Paul Mitchell, in particular, must ensure that Newcastle welcome their targets in 2025 in what will be his second transfer window as the sporting director at St James’ Park.

Newcastle wanted to sign "electric" £50m talent but kept Almiron instead

This was a big blunder from Eddie Howe and his transfer team…

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 4, 2024

Mitchell recently spoke about his first transfer window at the club, saying via Chronicle Live: “I can’t speak to the past because I wasn’t here. I can only speak for this window. Like I said, we have spoken every single evening if we haven’t face to face during the day.

“I think there has been a lot of communication. My idea, rightly or wrongly, was to over communicate. My wife doesn’t get that! I felt that was necessary at this stage of the relationship. He was kept very updated on the transfer window.”

Taking harsh lessons from the summer, the Magpies have now seemingly turned their focus towards the future. According to Caught Offside, Mitchell is now plotting to win the race to sign Andrija Maksimovic after sending Newcastle scouts to watch the Red Star Belgrade teenager in a 4-0 defeat against Inter Milan in the Champions League.

The sporting director faces plenty of competition for the 17-year-old’s signature, however, with both Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion also reportedly interested in signing Maksimovic in 2025.

The young attacking midfielder looks set to have quite the decision to make when the time comes to choose his next destination. Those at St James’ Park will simply be hoping not to miss out on yet another target.

"Confident" Maksimovic is one for the future

Of course, whilst Newcastle’s first aim is to get back into the Champions League or at least some form of European football this season, they’ll also have a long-term aim in mind that includes players of Maksimovic’s potential. Already making an impact at Red Star despite being just 17 years old, Maksimovic has four goals and three assists to his name in a campaign which may only get even better.

Unsurprisingly, the teenager has earned plenty of praise from those in his home country, with Serbian Football Scout dubbing Maksimovic “confident” in a detailed profile of his ability and potential.

It would be the small statement that Mitchell needs to get back on track at Newcastle if he managed to beat a plethora of European clubs all chasing the signature of a future star. Maksimovic, meanwhile, has the chance to simply take his pick, it seems.

The Reds are going up against two young players at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday that would make a massive difference to their backline

Liverpool's Champions League dead rubber against PSV couldn't have come at a better time for Arne Slot, as it afforded the Dutchman a most welcome opportunity to rest his star players ahead of a potentially pivotal weekend in the Premier League title race.

Just over 24 hours before second-placed Arsenal host Manchester City at the Emirates, the table-topping Reds will take on one of the few teams in England that could actually claim to be playing as well as Liverpool right now. Just like Liverpool, Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last 11 league games, and just like Liverpool, they've taken 25 points from those games.

However, whereas the Reds have conceded 15 goals in that time, the Cherries have conceded just nine during a remarkable run that has propelled them up to seventh in the standings, just one point off a Champions League place.

So, while Liverpool's primary focus right now will be on figuring out how to breach the Bournemouth backline this weekend, it would be a surprise if sporting director Richard Hughes is not also plotting to dismantle his former club's defence during the summer by signing two of its key components…

• AFP
  

  Ongoing search

  Liverpool need a new centre-back. We've known that for an awful long time now, but the paucity of options was made painfully clear at the Philips Arena on Wednesday night.

  It was imperative that Slot took advantage of the opportunity to rest Virgil van Dijk, who starts nearly every game, and the injury-prone Ibrahima Konate. However, with utility man Joe Gomez still not back to full fitness, Liverpool were left with just one orthodox centre-back in Jarell Quansah, prompting Slot to ask left-back Andy Robertson to play in the middle alongside the youngster.

  It didn't go particularly well, with both Quansah and Robertson embarrassed by Johan Bakayoko on PSV's equaliser, while the former also contributed to Ricardo Pepi's winner just before the break by making a complete mess of an attempted clearance in the build-up. Furthermore, when Robertson came off in the second half, Wataru Endo had to move back into the heart of the defence.

  To make matters even worse, 18-year-old centre-back Amara Nallo was sent off for a professional foul on Bakayoko just four minutes into his professional debut – completing a miserable evening for nearly all of Liverpool's defenders, with Conor Bradley also looking vulnerable while deputising for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Question mark over Quansah

  Quansah's performance wasn't exactly the worst of the evening from a Liverpool perspective – but it was the most concerning. There's now an undeniable air of uncertainty around a player who took everyone by surprise at the start of last season when he slotted so seamlessly into the Liverpool backline amid a defensive injury crisis.

  Truth be told, he's not looked right since his costly mistake in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford in March, and there's always the feeling now that no matter how well he appears to be playing, another error is never far away.

  By complete contrast, Dean Huijsen is exuding confidence and calmness right now.

• AFP
  

  Cherries' 'Chill Guy' the answer?

  It's certainly no coincidence that Bournemouth have become one of the toughest teams in the league to break down since Huijsen was given a regular run of games. The 19-year-old unsurprisingly took time to settle at the Vitality Stadium following his summer switch from Juventus, but Andoni Iraola's decision to promote him to the starting line-up for the game against Tottenham on December 5 proved a masterstroke – and not just because Huijsen scored the winner that day.

  Bournemouth had kept just one clean sheet in the league going into the game; they've now got six. And Huijsen is a big reason why, on account of his ability to both read the play and break it up.

  The Cherries' 'Chill Guy' is also incredibly comfortable on the ball and has a fine range of passing – two key attributes for any potential Liverpool defender.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Perfect profile

  Lest anyone forget, the Reds have been monitoring Huijsen's progress for some time now. Before he'd even left Juventus to join Roma on loan in January of last year, Liverpool were looking at the composed central defender, who had rejected the chance to join Real Madrid as a teenager in favour of learning his trade in Italy.

  Of course, Hughes only arrived at Anfield last summer and Huijsen also joined Bournemouth after he'd left his post as technical director – but the Dutch-born Spain Under-21 international appears to have the perfect age and player profile for the typical Liverpool signing.

  Best of all, it's been claimed that there is a buy-out clause in his contract that can be activated at the end of the season. The only issue is that several other top teams are reportedly queuing up to sign Huijsen, including Chelsea and Real Madrid.

Crystal Palace have had some extremely talented defenders come through their academy ranks, including the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Nathaniel Clyne and Tyrick Mitchell.

The Eagles also had attacking talents such as Wilfried Zaha rise up at Selhurst Park, going on to make 458 appearances for the club, scoring 90 goals and providing 61 assists.

And after Oliver Glasner’s poor start to the new campaign, scoring just five goals in their opening seven Premier League games, he could find himself looking at a certain youngster Palace loaned out this summer, someone who could have been their answer to the loss of Michael Olise.

Michael Olise's career at Palace

Olise was signed by Palace from Reading back in 2021, the 19-year-old at the time costing them around £8m.

At Reading, the young winger made 73 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing 14 assists for the club in senior football by the age of 19.

The Frenchman then went on to make 90 appearances for Palace, scoring 16 goals and providing 25, excelling in south London. His excellent form attracted interest from many suitors around Europe, including Bayern Munich.

You can see from the metrics above that Olise improved in every stat between the 2022/23 season and then the 2023/24 season, adding more shot volume, better efficiency, and extra progression to his game, which not only helped the side, but also his case for becoming one of the best in his position.

Olise’s vast improvement across the board earned him a move to Bayern, joining the German giants for a fee of around £50.8m.

The 22-year-old has already made nine appearances for Bayern in all competitions, scoring six goals and providing three assists.

Crystal Palace's next Olise

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is a Palace academy product, who has already been labelled as a “top player” by teammate Marc Guehi.

The 22-year-old is currently spending time out on loan at Sheffield United, making nine appearances so far, scoring two goals and totalling 438 minutes played. It’s not a bad start to life away from Selhurst Park.

The English winger has made 57 appearances for the Palace academy (both U18 and U21 combined), scoring 32 goals and providing 16 assists in those games. The wide man combines speed, clever footwork, and an ability to go both ways, much like Olise did for the Eagles.

The 22-year-old is producing 5.61 progressive carries per 90, taking 2.92 shots per 90, and completing 2.68 successful take-ons per 90, all reminiscent of Olise’s Palace numbers.

If he can add extra efficiency to his actions, the Eagles may well have their next winger in the pipeline.

Rak-Sakyi could be their Olise replacement, and he’s been there all along, with many Palace fans eagerly watching how his loan unfolds in the Championship, with the view of him hopefully returning for more regular minutes at Selhurst Park next season.

Crystal Palace hit gold on £20m ace who's now worth more than Olise & Eze

His rise could surpass that of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze at Crystal Palace.

By
Connor Holden

Oct 14, 2024

Rio Ferdinand explained why players perform well after leaving Manchester United as he drew comparisons between Scott McTominay and Jude Bellingham.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ferdinand explained why players start performing after leaving Man Utd
• Compared McTominay to Bellingham
• Backed Rashford to succeed at Aston Villa

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  United parted with academy graduate McTominay in the summer as the midfielder headed to Napoli on a permanent transfer. Since moving to Italy, the Scot has consistently performed for Antonio Conte's side. Similarly, players like Anthony Elanga and Antony have all improved their form immediately after exiting Old Trafford, and according to club legend Ferdinand, Rashford too will regain his long-lost form at Aston Villa, where he moved on loan in the January transfer window.

Advertisement

• WHAT RIO FERDINAND SAID

  Speaking on his podcast, Ferdinand said: "You look at Antony, he's got a man-of-the-match performance and a goal and assist in two games. McTominay is playing like primetime Jude Bellingham at the moment. You've got Elanga, who's a flying winger.

  "You've got all these players that are leaving the club that are looking like new, dynamic footballers because the shackles are off, and the cloud and the pressure of Old Trafford, the badge, all that that brings, is allowing them to go 'you know what, wow, what a difference that is'."

  He added: "You're probably going to see the same from Rashford. It's about unlocking what has unlocked Old Trafford for these players to perform."

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rashford was banished from the first team by Ruben Amorim and had not appeared in a match since the second week of December until he made his debut for the Villans in the FA Cup fourth-round win over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. The 27-year-old came on as a 66th-minute substitute as Unai Emery's side led by two goals and went on to win 2-1. The striker later sent a grateful message to the fans for their 'warm welcome'.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT?

  McTominay is part of the Napoli side sitting top of Serie A, while Rashford will be hoping to lead Villa's domestic and European charges.

Robert Lewandowski joined Lionel Messi on an exclusive list of Barcelona legends after finding the net against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Barca beat Rayo 1-0 in La Liga
• Lewandowski converted from the spot
• Reached 20 league goals in just 23 matches

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano at Montjuïc, courtesy of a first-half penalty by Lewandowski. It was his 20th strike in the Spanish top-flight this season, which propelled Hansi Flick's men to the top of the table with both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid dropping points over the weekend.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It turned out to be a milestone goal for Lewandowski as it helped the Polish striker match Barcelona legends Messi, Luis Suarez, and Samuel Eto'o as only the fourth player to reach 20 goals in just 23 games of a La Liga season this century. While Messi reached this mark in 11 consecutive seasons between 2009 and 2020, Suarez accomplished it in three of his six seasons with the club, while Eto'o recorded 23 goals in his first 23 matches during the 2008-09 campaign.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It has been reported that Lewandowski has already agreed to a contract extension with Barcelona, ensuring his presence until the summer of 2026. Despite now being in his mid-thirties, his performance remains exceptional, with 32 goals in 34 appearances across all competitions this season. Notably, he is also the joint-top scorer in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, with nine goals to his name.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LEWANDOWSKI?

  Lewandowski's consistent scoring has positioned him as the frontrunner for the Pichichi Trophy, awarded to La Liga's top scorer. His 20 league goals place him three ahead of his closest competitor, Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid. He will be looking to further add to his tally when Barcelona travel to Las Palmas for their next La Liga fixture on Saturday evening.

Chelsea travel to face Panathinaikos in the Europa Conference League tonight, looking to make it two wins from two in the competition.

Enzo Maresca’s side will be looking back up the victory against Genk a couple of weeks ago, aiming to strengthen their grip on a place in a knockout position.

The Blues fell to a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend, with the Italian undoubtedly wanting his outfit to return to winning ways with a bang this evening.

Key first-team players such as Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Levi Colwill and Moises Caicedo have all stayed at home and won’t be involved in the meeting, allowing numerous youth talents to potentially gain valuable first-team and European experience.

However, the match with the Greek side can’t be taken lightly, potentially being punished if they are below the level needed to secure all three points in Europe.

They would’ve certainly had another option at the top end of the pitch had they secured a deal for one player during the summer transfer window.

Jhon Duran’s potential move to Chelsea over the summer

In an attempt to strengthen his forward line, boss Maresca targeted a plethora of attacking options to take his side to the next level during his debut season at the helm.

Names such as Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney were widely linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, especially on deadline day, but no moves materialised, with the pair opting for moves elsewhere.

Jhon Duran was another name that was constantly touted with a transfer to West London, potentially swapping the West Midlands for the capital.

However, Maresca and the hierarchy targeted a swap deal for the 20-year-old Colombian, with midfielder Conor Gallagher going in the other direction, but the Englishman rejected a move to Villa Park and subsequently moved to Atlético Madrid.

Given Duran’s form this season, the club must regret not completing a deal for the striker, scoring off the bench five times in all competitions.

Whilst they may have missed out on a potential deal for him, the Blues may be about to unearth their own version of the super sub in the Conference League clash tonight.

The man who can be Chelsea’s own Duran

17-year-old Chelsea striker Shumaira Mheuka has been named in the travelling squad to face Panathinaikos tonight, looking to make his debut for the club after his impressive run in the academy setup.

After joining from Brighton a couple of years ago, the forward scored ten goals in 17 matches for the U18 side last season – also starring for England’s U17s, scoring six times in ten matches.

He’s subsequently been rewarded with his first professional contract this morning, an indication of the trust and faith shown by the hierarchy to continue his development.

Mheuka could follow in the footsteps of Villa striker Duran, making an impact on the game off the substitutes’ bench in what could be an evening to remember for the youngster.

The Blues prospect also possesses similar qualities to the Colombian talent, able to create an opportunity out of nothing with his explosive pace and dribbling skills – as demonstrated for his country against Spain below.

Hailed as “one of the most talented strikers of his generation in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig, Mheuka has the Duran-like physical attributes to star in the first team despite his tender age, looking to prove to Maresca that he made the right call by including him in the squad tonight.

Whilst the Blues will undoubtedly want to win the game tonight, it provides an excellent opportunity for some of the academy stars to get their chance in the first-team picture.

Mheuka could be the next in a very long line of Cobham academy stars to make the jump up into the professional game and be a huge success at Stamford Bridge – with tonight the perfect opportunity to introduce himself to the Chelsea faithful.

Maresca could drop Sancho by unleashing Chelsea star who's like Neymar

Maresca must drop Sancho to field Chelsea star who’s like Neymar.

By
Connor Holden

Oct 24, 2024