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Manchester United winger Antony has explained how he's managed to return to form at Real Betis after a dismal spell at Old Trafford.

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• Antony off to a flying start at Betis
• Has scored three goals already
• Winger feels liberated in Spain

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Antony has made a stellar start to life in La Liga after completing a loan move to Real Betis in the winter transfer window. The Brazilian has three goals and an assist in his first four games for Manuel Pellegrini's side, including a brilliant volley last time out against Real Sociedad.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The winger seems to be thriving in Spain after a miserable time at Manchester United. The Red Devils splashed out an eye-watering £85 million ($99m) to bring in the Brazilian from Ajax in August 2022 but saw the forward fail to live up to his lofty price tag and manage just 12 goals in 96 appearances. Antony has now explained how he's turned things around after moving to the Spanish top flight.

• WHAT ANTONY SAID

  He told : "The most important thing is to be happy and I am very happy at Real Betis. Things happen naturally! Here, I can show the football that brought me to Europe. I do not set a specific number of goals. I continue working hard, enjoying myself and concentrating every day. Let’s keep going like this."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY

  Antony will hope to continue his impressive form in Betis for the rest of the season. However, it remains to be seen where he will play his football past the end of the current campaign. His loan deal does not include a purchase option and his agent has not ruled out the possibility of Antony being granted a second chance at Manchester United.

After suffering their first loss since August against Liverpool last weekend, Chelsea bounced back with a 2-1 win over Newcastle United yesterday afternoon.

It wasn’t an entirely straightforward victory for Enzo Maresca’s men, but with brilliant performances from several players, including Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto, they were able to pick up another vital three points, which leaves them in fourth and just one behind title-chasing Arsenal.

However, while most of the team put in performances that should see them keep their place for the next few games, a couple of starters should probably be dropped after underwhelming in West London, including Noni Madueke.

Why Madueke should be dropped

Okay, so the first thing to say before the pitchforks and torches come out is that so far this season, Madueke has been quite impressive, and with his tally of five goals in ten appearances across all competitions, he has thoroughly earned his place as a regular starter in the Blues’ squad.

However, while the 22-year-old has been great in other games this season, he was underwhelming yesterday, both going forward and in his defensive duties.

For example, in his 67 minutes on the pitch, he produced an expected goals figure of 0.08 and an expected assists figure of 0.18, failed in two of his three crosses, lost the ball ten times, lost six of eight duels, failed in 50% of his dribbles and was dribbled past once himself, demonstrating how exposed he left Malo Gusto at points.

It might sound particularly harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by the Sun’s Lloyd Canfield, who gave the talented winger a 5/10 at full-time, writing that he was ‘quiet in the first half’ and that he was ‘outshone by Pedro Neto on the opposite flank,’ which is a rather kind way to describe his display.

While Madueke will undoubtedly have a large part to play for Maresca as the season develops, his performance yesterday was poor enough to be dropped for the next league game, especially when the club are currently blessed with talented wingers.

However, the Englishman wasn’t Chelsea’s worst player on the pitch.

Why Robert Sanchez should be dropped

Yes, despite looking slightly better so far this season, Robert Sanchez was arguably Chelsea’s worst player on the pitch against Newcastle.

Now, the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace didn’t make a huge and costly blunder against the Toon – as he has in the past – but he was noticeably uncomfortable with the ball at his feet and almost played his teammates into trouble on multiple occasions.

Unsurprisingly, this shakey performance was spotted and commented on by a number of journalists, with Canfield awarding him a 3/10 on the day and describing him as a ‘liability’, while football.london’s Bobby Vincent simply described his showing as ‘poor’ and noted the manager’s growing frustration with his inaccurate kicking.

Unfortunately for the Spaniard, his statistics from the game also make for dismal reading.

In his 96 minutes on the pitch, he made a single save, took 46 touches, maintained an abysmal passing accuracy of just 50%, misplaced 19 of his 24 long balls – which is unforgivably dire – dribbled past one and lost his one ground duel.

Ultimately, Sanchez has yet to really prove himself at Chelsea, and his performance yesterday has only raised more doubts about his long-term suitability as the club’s number one. Therefore, Maresca should boldly drop him for the game against United on Sunday and hand the promising Filip Jørgensen his Premier League debut – he can’t be any worse on the ball than the Spaniard.

3 key passes, 3 dribbles: Chelsea's 8/10 "monster" was as vital as Palmer

The Chelsea star was a constant thorn in Newcastle’s side.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 27, 2024

Glasgow Rangers must put their midweek Premiership defeat behind them as they travel to Hampden for the League Cup semifinal against Motherwell.

Aberdeen were too good for the Light Blues on Wednesday evening. If Philippe Clement was a man under pressure before that game, it is evident his head is now on the block unless something drastically changes over the next few weeks.

Securing a place in the League Cup final would be a good start and there could be a few changes ahead of the clash today.

One could see Neraysho Kasanwirjo move positions against the Steelmen…

Neraysho Kasanwirjo could move to centre-back

The Dutchman has played a variety of roles since arriving at Ibrox, including on both sides of the defence and in midfield.

Against the Dons, he was unleashed at left-back, but he didn’t offer much going forward. Indeed, the defender failed to attempt a dribble, make a key pass or even deliver an accurate cross during the game.

Defensively, he lost possession 14 times and won five of his eight duels. This afternoon, Clement should move him across to the heart of the defence in order to bring back a player who was rested against Aberdeen – Jefte.

Clement must unleash Jefte against Motherwell

Despite his tender age, the Brazilian has arguably been one of the finest signings made by the club this summer, especially considering his future potential.

The left-back has missed only three games for the Light Blues since joining, already establishing himself as a key member of the starting XI since Ridvan Yilmaz suffered an injury earlier this term.

In the Premiership, Jefte has created one big chance, averaging 0.5 key passes and succeeding with 1.5 dribbles per game, showing his attacking intent down the left flank.

Defensively, the youngster has won six total duels per game – a 52% success rate – while also making 2.3 tackles, 1.9 interceptions and recovering 3.8 balls per game, evidence that he can also be a huge asset when the Gers don’t have the ball.

When the Light Blues were first linked with the former Fluminense defender in January, Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson hailed the player, saying: “Jefté looks like he will be a quality attacking threat. He’s tall and quick while still remaining agile on the ball.

“He always looks to drive at the opposition defence and is comfortable going outside or cutting inside. He’s also not afraid of having a pop at goal and has a thunderous strike in his arsenal.”

The team missed his attacking threat down the wing against the Dons and this is something Clement should aim to rectify this afternoon, by bringing him back in at left-back.

Moving Kasanwirjo to the heart of the defence would allow Jefte to be unleashed in his favoured position. This could give Rangers the best chance of winning the tie and reaching the League Cup final for the third season in a row, by providing them with more quality in attack down the left flank, to cause the Motherwell defence plenty of problems.

Not just Clement: Rangers must cash in on their £30k-p/w star

Rangers latest defeat could have big implications to the manager and a few players.

By
Ross Kilvington

Nov 1, 2024

Lionel Messi spoke on his legacy in soccer, future plans, and Club World Cup in an interview with Zane Lowe

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• Messi admitted that he always wanted to play in MLS
• Backed Club World Cup in the United States to be a success
• Asserted that the goal this year is to 'win a championship'

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Messi spoke extensively on his legacy in soccer and his future plans in a wide-ranging interview with Apple's Zane Lowe at the start of the 2025 MLS campaign. In the lengthy conversation, the Argentine backed Inter Miami to win a first MLS Cup, admitted he never enjoyed life at PSG, and outlined the importance of halftime in dictating game performances.

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  MESSI ON GOALS WITH INTER MIAMI

  After a disappointing first-round exit, Messi emphasized the importance of delivering on expectations this season.

  "I think that the team we have today is built to try to win a championship, and that is what we're aiming at. I think there was a good adaptation from the boys that came, with the young folks that the club and the team had," Messi said. "And I think that's the objective that has to remain, to aspire to get titles, keep helping the club to grow and that the youth that are emerging from the club have the chance to keep showing up, keep playing in the Inter, play in the MLS and give the opportunity to those who have a dream and fight to achieve it. I think that's the path, right? To keep going upward, considering where we were at the start and keep growing a lot more."

• MESSI ON THE CLUB WORLD CUP

  This year, Messi's Inter Miami will participate in their first Club World Cup after a special invite from FIFA following their Supporters' Shield success. The Argentine believes the tournament is an important one for MLS as it allows the league to introduce itself to new fans and keep growing.

  "I think this is… very important for the club, especially, to participate for the first time in a World Cup that will take place in the country and for the MLS to have two teams is a wonderful thing, and like I said, everything that's happening creates an opportunity for the MLS to keep growing in football, as a league, and for other players to have the opportunity to come and keep growing I think… football is different from the sports they are accustomed to watching in the U.S., and I think it should be managed differently because it's a different sport and this is an opportunity to change the chip, to shift, and for the MLS to continue maturing," he said.

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  MESSI ON THE APPEAL OF MIAMI

  Messi acknowledged after a difficult spell with PSG, the move to MLS was the right one at the right time of his career.

  READ MORE:2025 MLS player survey – from best player to best-run club

  "I always had it in my mind to play in the MLS. I think I said it more than once. It attracted me and it was something I wanted to do. Coming to play for Inter Miami was an opportunity and the way things developed during my last years in Paris, although it was a decision that I had to make on the go because I had to leave from Barcelona, I went through two years which I didn't enjoy. I wasn't happy on a daily basis, with the trainings, and the matches, I had a hard time adapting to all that. I felt called to come to Inter because it's a club that's growing, very new, with few years as a club. I liked the idea of coming and help the club to become a greater club and I also knew it was a city that my family and I would enjoy, although I didn't know it so well because I had come only a few times I knew about it, because I have family and friends that visited and visit this city and I thought it was the right time, and I don't regret it, quite the opposite," he said.

This season was supposed to be the year Arsenal finally got over the line in the Premier League and ended their two-decade title drought, but after their first 11 games, that is starting to look unlikely.

Mikel Arteta’s young side have not been as secure at the back as they were last season, already conceding 12 goals, and their attack has been noticeably blunt, with six teams scoring more than their 18 goals.

The North Londoners have had to deal with some unfortunate injuries and questionable refereeing here and there, but there is no getting away from the fact that a number of their star players just look a little off the pace at the moment.

Unsurprisingly, recent reports have now linked the club with one of the most exciting attackers in the league, someone who could rival both Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka next season.

Arsenal transfer news

According to reports from Spain, Arsenal are incredibly interested in West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus.

In fact, the report claims that the Gunners are so keen on the Ghanaian international that they plan to make an offer for him next summer, which could potentially be worth up to €100m, which is about £83m.

While that’s an enormous sum of money, that doesn’t seem too outlandish, as other publications have claimed that the Hammers have inserted an £85m release clause into the former Ajax star’s contract, which is set to reactivate in the summer.

In all, signing Kudus would represent a hugely significant investment, but given his incredible ability, it is well worth making, especially as he could offer competition to several players, including Martinelli and Saka.

Why Kudus would be an ideal addition to Arsenal's attack

So, before we look at his sensational output over the last few years, let’s look at one of the other key reasons Kudus would be such an excellent addition to Arsenal’s attacking lineup: his versatility.

Yes, across his career to date, the 24-year-old dynamo has played all over the pitch, from right to left wing, attacking midfield to centre-forward and even one game in defensive midfield.

In short, the “sensational” international, as dubbed by Daily Mail reporter Kathryn Batte, can play pretty much wherever he’s asked, which means he’d be able to pick up plenty of game time across a campaign and offer competition to a number of starters.

For example, with his vast experience of playing off the right, he could finally allow Arteta to rest Saka when he’s being overplayed or even when he’s underperforming.

Likewise, Julen Lopetegui has played him off the left five times this season, so should Leandro Trossard continue to underdeliver next season, as he has this year, then the Hammers star could also be the perfect player to push or even replace Martinelli on that side of the pitch.

With all that said, it’s all well and good playing in lots of positions, but has the Accra-born maestro been able to deliver for his teams? You bet he has.

For example, in his final full season for Ajax, when he was genuinely a part of the senior side, the 34-capped international racked up a brilliant haul of 18 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances, equating to a goal involvement on average every 1.68 games.

Moreover, in his 55 appearances for the Hammers, against far stronger opposition, the 5 foot 9 wizard has scored 16 goals and provided seven assists, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every 2.29 games for the Eastenders.

Ultimately, signing Kudus next summer will require a massive financial effort from Arsenal, but given his sensational form in recent seasons and the need to provide the likes of Martinelli and Saka with more competition, it would be well worth the cost.

Arsenal want to sign £41m Havertz upgrade who's had a penalty saved by Raya

The “lethal” forward would be an exceptional addition to Arsenal’s squad.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 11, 2024

Pedri's stellar performances for Barcelona from midfield have prompted Gavi to snub Raphinha and Lamine Yamal for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

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• Gavi backs Pedri to win the Ballon d'Or
• Hailed his midfield partner for top displays
• Yamal and Raphinha also in the running

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona comfortably strolled past Benfica in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday, winning the tie 4-1 on aggregate. A brace from Raphinha and an absolute stunner from Lamine Yamal put the tie beyond any doubt after Barcelona won the first leg by a narrow 1-0 scoreline. However, Pedri was the real star of the show on the night, winning the MVP award.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Pedri is arguably enjoying his best season to date personally. The 22-year-old appears to have put his injury struggles behind him, overcoming the persistent issues that marked the first three-and-a-half years of his Barcelona career. Around almost the same time last year, a report appeared in the Spanish media which claimed that the Catalans no longer considered Pedri an indispensable figure in the squad.

  However, it has been quite a turnaround for Pedri under new head coach Hansi Flick, with the midfielder producing one world-class display after another. He earned Player of the Match honours in both legs against Benfica as they progressed to the quarters, further solidifying Barcelona's position as one of the favourites to win this year's Champions League. His standout performances have led Gavi to praise the Barca No.8, even backing him to lift the Ballon d'Or.

• WHAT GAVI SAID

  “Nobody deserves the Ballon D’Or more than Pedri, everyone knows what kind of a player he is," Gavi told reporters on Tuesday (h/t Football Espana). Pedri's name has rarely been in the Ballond'Or discussion, with his Barca team-mates Yamal and Raphinha seen as genuine contenders alongside the likes of Mo Salah, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PEDRI?

  Pedri officially renewed his contract with Barcelona in January, with the Spain star set to stay at the club until 2030. Having helped Barca seal a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals, Pedri will be expected to play a starring role when Barcelona take on title rivals Atletico Madrid this Sunday.

GOAL Convo with MLS Executive VP Camilo Durana on 2025 All-Star Game, why league is going up against Liga MX

The 2025 MLS All-Star Game is set to be played against Mexico's best footballers, the Liga MX All-Stars, the league announced Tuesday. It will be the fourth time in the past five seasons that MLS will clash with their rivals to the south in the celebratory game featuring North America's best players.

The game will be played at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, home of MLS side Austin FC. have established one of the best fanbases in all of MLS, selling out 100 percent of their home matches since the club's inception in 2021. The club, backed by celebrity co-owner Matthew McConaughey, has become a hotbed for growing the game in the heart of Texas.

Camilo Durana, MLS executive vice president of the Apple partnership, properties & events, discussed what went into featuring Liga MX All-Stars, why Austin is the host city, updates to the Skills Challenge, and more in the latest GOAL Convo.

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  ON LIGA MX AS OPPONENT

  GOAL: Liga MX All-Stars return to be the opponent this year. It's the fourth time in the past five years that they've been chosen. Why Liga MX now, and why not a European team like Arsenal, who you faced in 2023?

  DURANA: We love All-Star, it’s a celebration of our league, a celebration of our sport in North America, a celebration of local communities. But we also want a game that people want to watch, a competitive game that's meaningful. And I think in the MLS-Liga MX format, we have found a matchup that the players genuinely care about. If you go back and you watch the first three iterations or editions against Liga MX, the play was intense, and even in the Skills Challenge, it meant something to players. So I think we want the All-Star Game to be a showcase, but we also want to put on a great game on the field, and we feel the first three editions delivered on that. We're excited for the fourth.

  GOAL: The Liga MX and MLS rivalry has fueled competitive, yet fun games in recent years, but outside of All-Star, Liga MX has been a step ahead of MLS in the Champions Cup, with the Seattle Sounders being the lone MLS team to ever win it. On the other hand, MLS has found success in the Leagues Cup winning the first two iterations. How is this All-Star Game helping grow a healthy, yet contentious, rivalry between the two leagues?

  DURANA: We want competition. Rivalry is proven in all forms of research across all sports – it drives engagement, it drives fandom, it drives intrigue. It's the very reason why we launched the Leagues Cup because we wanted more opportunities for MLS teams to play against Liga MX and prove our quality to fans and to give more players access to international competition for development. There's a lot of history in the Champions Cup or Champions League. There's a lot of new history that's been written in Leagues Cup, and we love the fact that people notice and are talking about it. You know, the All-Star Game is an extension of that rivalry, clearly a different format, but we believe our relationship with Liga MX has never been stronger. The more we can continue to develop this rivalry and storylines, the better it's going to be, the easier it's gonna be to elevate the North American game at a global level. We aspire to continue to grow as a region, and we think this rivalry is a good way of standing out, building strong storylines, and continuing to drive our game in North America forward.

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  ON IMPORTANCE OF ALL-STAR GAME

  GOAL: How important will the All-Star Game be from a rating and marketing perspective with it being streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV?

  DURANA: We love our Apple TV partnership and what it's done to make it easier to be an MLS fan, the fact that we're now able to produce games that have a single look and single feel, it elevates the quality. To be able to work with Apple on new initiatives like Sunday Night Soccer… And we also recognize that different products draw different types of fans.

  For us, the MLS regular season and playoffs have been around for a long time, and we've got a strong following. The Leagues Cup has enabled us to connect with different types of fans and different consumers. We're very keen to build relationships with fans of Liga MX and help them understand the quality that we have here at Major League Soccer and the All-Star Game is another dimension where there's a level of intrigue to it. It's a format unlike any other in the world within our sport, and the idea that we can offer a match that features perhaps Sergio Ramos and James Rodriguez on one side, you know, the global superstars and emerging stars in our league on the other side is going to attract different types of people. And if people come to MLS Season Pass and Apple TV for the All-Star Game, the hope is they stay for the rest, and that's part of how we continue to build audiences and build fans of this league.

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  ON THE SKILLS CHALLENGE

  GOAL: In recent years, we've seen MLS NEXT Pro goalkeepers partake in the event. Is there a chance that with the Skills Challenge in 2025 we see MLS and Liga MX partake in that particular challenge, or is it going to remain with the NEXT Pro goalkeepers?

  DURANA: After every single year we look at all options and all opportunities, but for 2025 Goalie Wars will be back, and it will continue to be an MLS NEXT Pro event.

  GOAL: Will there be any new Skills Challenge events that fans could look forward to seeing, that you might be able to share about?

  DURANA: We'll make announcements about Skills Challenge specifics in the near future, but, like I said, every single year we sit down after the Skills Challenge. We think about ways that we can elevate, and make it different. As you saw last year, we added NWSL players, we added Liga MX Femenina players and we added legends. So we're always looking for ways to make it different, give people different types of audiences a reason to tune in. And you can expect some modifications for this year's challenge.

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  ON COMPARISONS TO OTHER ALL-STAR GAMES

  GOAL: How do you compare the MLS All-Star Game to the likes of the NFL, the MLB and the NHL versions? Each league has a unique take on it, but what makes MLS is all star game in particular special – and has MLS taken any inspiration from the other sporting leagues to develop the match?

  DURANA: We always look at what other people are doing. And we recognize, as you know, that we're just 30 years old, 30 years in as a league, so there's people that have had considerable head starts on building things like their All-Star week and All-Star weekends. We feel strongly that we have one of the most competitive All-Star Games out there. It means a lot to players, even the Skills Challenge they want to win, and that's a really good product. We also have a full week of programming where we go in and really make a meaningful impact in the host community. We certainly admire what other leagues do and how they've been able to evolve and grow. But I think that the recipe of MLS versus Liga MX is unique in that we're able to take our best compete against another league's best, and that's just part of the benefit of being part of a global sport like soccer.

Former England international and now pundit Carlton Palmer has been left stunned by how much West Brom could a star player for, saying it would be “unbelievable business” by the club.

Latest West Brom news

The Baggies finally got back to winning ways in the Championship before the international break, securing a vital 2-1 victory away to Hull City. It was their first win since their 1-0 triumph at home to Plymouth Argyle on September 21st.

It put an end to a hugely frustrating run of six draws in a row for Carlos Corberan’s side, taking some of the pressure off the shoulders of the manager in the process.

Next up for West Brom is a home clash with Norwich City on Saturday afternoon, as the hosts look to not only stay in the playoff positions come the end of the weekend, but also get closer to Sunderland and Sheffield United in the automatic promotion positions.

There have been plenty of key players on show at the Hawthorns this season, not least striker Josh Maja, who has scored nine goals in 15 Championship appearances. Now, a key claim has emerged regarding his future.

Pundit stunned at West Brom ace's price tag

Speaking to Football League World, ex-England man Palmer admitted his shock at West Brom striker Josh Maja’s £17m price tag, amid interest in him from La Liga side Celta Vigo, who want to sign him in January. Palmer said cashing in for £17m on the forward would be “unbelievable business” for West Brom.

“West Brom going along nicely in the Championship, their player Josh Maja, who is having a fantastic season so far, [has] interest from Celta Vigo and Real Sociedad. Both looking for £17 million. West Brom signed him on a free transfer, so this would be unbelievable business for the football club, to get that type of money for him.

“I think it’s a fee that they wouldn’t be able to turn down. Obviously you can do a lot with £17 million, but if your people know you’re getting £17 million, then they’re going to up the ante if you want to buy a player. It’s always difficult circumstances, and this is the problem that sometimes comes with the transfer window. He’s doing really well for them, it’s going to be really difficult for them to turn down an offer of that magnitude if that offer actually materialises.”

The idea of West Brom selling the £17,000-a-week Maja may horrify some supporters, considering what a vital member of Corberan’s team he is. The 25-year-old has matured into an excellent Championship striker and his best years should still be in front of him.

That said, the opportunity for the Baggies to receive as much as £17m for one of their most prized players could be too great to turn down, considering it would be one of the most significant financial boosts in their recent history.

In fact, it would be more than the £15.2m that Salomon Rondon departed for back in 2019, which remains the biggest sale in West Brom’s history, highlighting why moving him on would be hard to say no to.

Granted, it would affect their promotion hopes midway through the season, but the money would be there to spend on a top-quality replacement.

How much does Chelsea captain Reece James earn per week playing at Stamford Bridge?

Chelsea captain Reece James has had a career plagued by injuries, but he has has established himself as an integral part of the squad regardless of his physical misfortune.

He made his first-team debut in 2018 and, since the departure of Cesar Azpilicueta, has been handed the captain's armband to lead his team the way.

He is also one of the top earners at the club, thanks to his resilience and seniority among his team-mates.

Exactly how much does the Chelsea captain earn, though?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

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• Reece James' wages at Chelsea in numbers

  Under his current contract at Stamford Bridge, James earns  £250,000 ($323,069) on a weekly basis, while his annual salary scales up to £13 million ($16.8m).

  This makes the English full-back the highest paid player in the squad.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Reece James	English	£250,000	$323,069	£13,000,000	$16,799,571

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  Top earners at Chelsea

  Club captain Reece James stands as the highest-earning player in the squad by quite some distance, while French stars Wesley Fofana and Christopher Nkunku join the full-back at second and third position respectively.

  Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez follows at fourth, earning slightly more than fifth-placed Marc Cucurella.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Reece James	English	£250,000	$315,784	£13,000,000	$16,799,571
  Wesley Fofana	French	£200,000	$258,455	£10,400,000	$13,439,657
  Christopher Nkunku	French	£195,000	$251,994	£10,140,000	$13,103,665
  Enzo Fernandez	Argentine	£180,000	$232,609	£9,360,000	$12,095,691
  Marc Cucurella	Spanish	£175,000	$226,148	£9,100,000	$11,759,700

• Top 5 earners in the Premier League

  Manchester City’s Erling Haaland sits at the top of the chart as the highest-paid player in the Premier League, having recently signed a nine-year contract with the club, keeping him at the Etihad until 2034.

  City team-mate Kevin De Bruyne follows him at second, while Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah acquires the third spot.

  At fourth enters Manchester United midfielder Casemiro, while rounding off the list at number five is yet another City player in Jack Grealish.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Erling Haaland	Norwegian	£525,000	$678,444	£27,300,000	$35,279,099
  Kevin De Bruyne	Belgian	£400,000	$516,910	£20,800,000	$26,879,314
  Mohamed Salah	Egyptian	£350,000	$452,296	£18,200,000	$23,519,400
  Casemiro	Brazilian	£350,000	$452,296	£18,200,000	$23,519,400
  Jack Grealish	English	£300,000	$387,682	£15,600,000	$20,159,485

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  Highest paid players in the world

  Despite the astronomical wages of the top earners in the Premier League, they don't even come close to salaries of the highest-paid players in the world.

  At the pinnacle sits the top goal-scorer of the Champions League, Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays his football for Al Nassr, followed by his former Real Madrid attacking partner Karim Benzema.

  Meanwhile, former Manchester City player Riyad Mahrez makes an appearnace at number three, followed by Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly.

  All five highest paid players in the world currently play in the Saudi Pro League.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£3,224,935	$4,166,513	£167,696,622	$215,658,680
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	£1,612,468	$2,083,257	£83,848,311	$108,329,340
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£841,708	$1,087,460	£43,768,818	$56,547,915
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£644,987	$833,033	£33,539,324	$43,331,736
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£559,526	$722,890	£29,095,364	$37,590,281

Manchester City have made some fantastic signings under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola. Of course, they have not held back with the spending, buying some of the world’s best players for significant transfer fees. The most expensive of those was Jack Grealish. He joined from Aston Villa for £100m in 2021.

It has certainly been a worthy investment. The Cityzens’ signings in recent summers ultimately helped them to win their historic treble in the 2022/23 campaign, which included the club’s first-ever Champions League title.

Of course, arguably the most important window of the lot came in the summer of 2022.

City’s summer 2022 transfer window

Although it was an important transfer window for the Cityzens, there were a few signings that did not work out. One of those was promising Spaniard, Sergio Gomez, who made the move from Belgian side Anderlecht. He made just 38 appearances for the club over two seasons before leaving in the summer for Real Sociedad.

There were two key signings made from German giants Borussia Dortmund. Manuel Akanji was one of those who made the move to the Etihad Stadium. The Swiss international has played 113 times for the club and was an important part of the treble-winning side.

However, the most important signing made that summer was surely Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker also joined from Dortmund for a fee of £51.2m and has been sensational during his time in Sky Blue so far.

The centre-forward, who was born in Leeds, has 107 goals to his name already for the Cityzens, despite playing just 117 games. His first season at the club, the treble-winning campaign of 2022/23, saw the striker score a remarkable 52 goals in 53 games.

This term, the 24-year-old has seen his form fluctuate. Although he has scored an impressive 17 goals in 19 appearances, the striker has managed to score just two goals in his last eight Premier League games, as City’s form also hits a rut.

Despite current circumstances, there is no doubt the signing of Haaland, especially, made the 2022 summer window worth it for City. However, there was another expensive addition who did not work out how all parties hoped. That man is Kalvin Phillips.

Kalvin Phillips’ Man City career

The Mancunian side paid Leeds United £42m up front and a further £3m in add-ons to sign Phillips. It was a signing they were hopeful would work out, especially given the money the England international cost.

When he first put pen to paper at the Etihad Stadium, City director of football Txiki Begiristain described the midfielder as a “formidable” player:

However, things have not quite worked out as he may have hoped. Incredibly, despite the money spent on the midfielder, Phillips made just 31 appearances in all competitions for the Cityzens, despite representing the club in three different seasons.

Given his lack of opportunities under Guardiola, the Leeds academy graduate departed the club on loan in January of 2024, moving to East London outfit West Ham United. However, his opportunities there were also incredibly limited, and he made just ten appearances.

Now, Phillips plays for Ipswich Town, whom he also joined on a season-long loan deal. However, life under Kieran McKenna has also been slow for the experienced defensive midfielder. He has made just eight appearances during his time for the Tractor Boys.

It certainly seems like the best thing for City to do is to cut ties with the Englishman. Not only has he not really been able to make a mark in Sky Blue, but he earns an outrageous £150k-per-week.

That is £110k more than any other player at Portman Road, and a wage City might look to avoid paying if he returns to the club over the summer.

It is a real shame that things did not work out between Phillips and the Premier League champions, but he played a small part in their famous treble win in 2022/23. However, it seems like it will be best for both parties to part ways sooner rather than later, and put this disappointing chapter behind them.

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By
Brett Worthington

Dec 2, 2024