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Tottenham Hotspur could reunite with ex-managing director Fabio Paratici once his worldwide ban concludes on June 30, and it is now believed the transfer chief may end up playing a vital role in signing a “top-level” Liverpool player.

Fabio Paratici tipped for Tottenham return this summer

The ex-Juventus man, who gained popularity among the Spurs fan base after sealing deals for the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Romero, Porro, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr during his time there, could well be coming back to N17.

Tottenham open talks with "quick" £45m forward tipped to bag 40 goals a season

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and co want to make him their first summer signing.

ByEmilio Galantini May 8, 2025

Paratici was forced to resign as managing director in early 2023, after he was slapped with a 30-month worldwide ban from FIFA. The 52-year-old was found guilty of false accounting during his time at Juve, with Paratici unable to work in any official footballing capacity since then.

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That isn’t to say he hasn’t been of use to Spurs since then, though, as it is known that Paratici has been advising the club on an unofficial consultancy basis.

However, with his ban due to end on June 30th, reports from Italy are adamant that an official Tottenham return for Paratici could be nearing (Corriere della Sera).

The official held extensive talks with AC Milan over becoming their new sporting director, but those negotiations broke down, which has freed up a move to N17 as a result.

Daniel Levy has publicly praised Paratici’s work ethic and “tough” negotiating style in the past, and it is believed by some that the Lilywhites chairman has been working hard to tempt him with a return to the club.

Levy held private talks with Paratici over re-joining Spurs as far back as late March, and there has been no sign of this potential appointment slowing down since then.

Fabio Paratici could sign Federico Chiesa for Tottenham

Now, CaughtOffside report that he could play a vital role in luring £150,000-per-week Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa to north London.

The Italy international’s debut season in England hasn’t exactly been a dream for him, and Arne Slot’s side could choose to part ways with Chiesa for as little as £13 million.

Tottenham are emerging as potential contenders for Chiesa, and Paratici’s excellent relationship with his agent, Fali Ramadani, has been described as a “crucial” factor which could give them an edge in the race for his signature.

CaughtOffside also back up previous reports that Paratici is expected to come back, and he could now mount an assault for Liverpool’s attacker after he returns.

Despite Chiesa’s lack of luck at Anfield, the ex-Juve star has shone on the biggest occasions in past seasons, including Euro 2020, and he’s still just 27-years-old. For just £13m, Chiesa would be an arguable snip, with the only real sticking point financially being his salary.

Chiesa has also been called a “top-level” talent since making the move to Merseyside last summer, having impressed on the odd occasion for Liverpool, and perhaps he’d have more luck earning game time down south.

Everton are a different beast under David Moyes, but the recent defeat at Anfield illuminated some of the cracks fissuring the foundations of the squad.

He spoke pragmatically of the gap between the neighbours in recent years before suggesting, post-game, that his side are beginning to show signs of bridging that gulf, well worth their paychecks across the two recent Merseyside derbies.

However, Everton will need to strengthen this summer, while also fending off interest in their star man, Jarrad Branthwaite.

The latest on interest in Jarrad Branthwaite

Branthwaite, 23, has been brilliant since returning from a loan move at PSV Eindhoven in 2023, featuring regularly alongside James Tarkowski and being hailed for his “pretty special” talent levels by pundit Jamie Carragher.

However, that quality comes at a price, with the sharks circling and Football Insider recently revealing that the club would be willing to consider his sale if bids fell into the £60m ballpark.

Hark your minds back to last year, when Amadou Onana was sold to Aston Villa for £50m. The Friedkin Group would sell Branthwaite for the right price, but must be equipped to redirect the funds toward the squad in a beneficial manner.

Branthwaite is a monstrous young centre-half, but he’s not irreplaceable, and £60m is no small sum besides.

Luckily, Everton’s rebuild predates Moyes’ return; the Scotsman merely shaped the pieces together, strewn as they were across the Goodison Park turf.

Branthwaite is the star man at the rear, but he’s not the only talented Toffee in the mix, with one man in particular beginning to look like a former star in John Heitinga.

Everton's new John Heitinga

Heitinga, 41, enjoyed five years of his career at Everton, the lion’s share of which came under Moyes’ tutelage. In 2009, Everton snapped Atletico Madrid’s defender up for a £7m fee, and he went on to play 140 times for the club, notching five goals and assists apiece.

Now, he’s back on Merseyside, part of Arne Slot’s coterie as Liverpool charge toward the Premier League title. Forgetting this tarnishing feature, the Dutchman was a solid and dependable player for the Blues, way back when.

Moyes actually joked that he had “got two players in one” when clinching the Holland international’s signature, and in that sense, you could argue that Jake O’Brien is fast becoming the manager’s next version of the ace in this new era.

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O’Brien was signed from Lyon over in France last summer, part of the crew who formed Sean Dyche’s last hurrah at the helm. He spent the majority of the campaign, under the craggy-faced manager’s wing, on the sidelines, but has come alive since the winter switch in the dugout.

Indeed, O’Brien, a centre-back, has started the past ten Premier League matches for Everton, all of which have come at right-back, an unconventional role for the Republic of Ireland international.

But O’Brien, 23, has performed his duties with aplomb, showcasing his tactical range with two important goals while maintaining a combative presence, winning 57% of his duels and averaging a whopping 4.7 clearances per game, as per Sofascore.

Whatever happens with Branthwaite down the line, Moyes will take solace in his Irish ace’s rise and rise over the past few months, proving that he too can be a player of versatility and importance, two for the price of one.

Hailed as a “revelation” for Everton by Irish Football FAN TV’s Paul Nealon, O’Brien has got what it takes to make further developments over the coming years, providing priceless service to Moyes’ side, just like Heitinga in the past.

Moyes loves him: Everton now plotting surprise move for "rapid" £30m winger

The Toffees could make a shock move for a forward, who is admired by manager David Moyes.

ByDominic Lund Apr 2, 2025

No play was possible on day one despite there being plenty of sunshine

Daya Sagar09-Sep-2024There were clear skies overhead but the damp conditions underfoot at Test cricket’s 124th venue created a player safety issue serious enough to force the abandonment of the first day between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida.The umpires conducted six inspections of the ground over the course of the day before play was called off around 4pm local time.”When you compare it with 10am till now, there’s an improvement but we’re worried about five to six patches inside the 30-yard circle,” Kumar Dharmasena, one of the two on-field umpires, told the host broadcaster at the end of the day. “One area of the run-up does not look comfortable. It’s a player-safety issue. We even saw one player get injured yesterday as well, we know how hard it is. Both of us are concerned.”The player Dharmasena is referring to is Afghanistan’s opening batter Ibrahim Zadran, who hurt his left heel when he slipped while fielding on Sunday. The injury ruled him out of this Test and Afghanistan’s ODI series against South Africa starting September 18. Playing in sub-standard conditions is a risk international cricketers cannot afford to take.Related

Slushy patches, wet weather prevent Test from starting in Greater Noida

Shahidi wants 'one good home venue' and more Tests for Afghanistan

Greater Noida under the weather ahead of Test debut

Opening day of Afghanistan-New Zealand Test called off due to wet outfield

The futility of Monday was not surprising, considering the state of the venue on the eve of the match. Even though there was not much rain overnight, and none at all during the day, the sub-par drainage system at the venue meant the damage to the outfield couldn’t be swiftly repaired.The ground-staff tried, but they didn’t have much to work with. They used the roller on the bowlers’ run-ups and attempted to dry wet patches on the square with sawdust. These efforts were repeated frequently with little impact.An Afghanistan team official told ESPNcricinfo the players were unhappy with the facilities at the venue and it’s possible that they may not want to play in Greater Noida in the future. He also said Afghanistan had wanted this Test to be played in Lucknow, Dehradun or Kanpur. But that was not possible because Lucknow and Dehradun are hosting T20 leagues, and the stadium in Kanpur is being readied for the second Test between India and Bangladesh later this month.Afghanistan have played 11 ODIs and T20Is in Greater Noida before but the facilities here are not up to international standard. On the eve of the game, their captain Hashmatullah Shahidi wished his team could have “one good home venue” in India instead of going from place to place. Afghanistan do not play their home games in Afghanistan and have played their ten Tests at nine different venues.The facilities for the public weren’t good in Greater Noida either: entry was free but there was no proper seating in the scorching heat. The media covering the Test had no access to water or food initially.The toss has been advanced by 30 minutes to 9am on Tuesday, with a minimum of 98 overs to be bowled on the remaining four days of the Test. The forecast, however, is for thunderstorms on Tuesday morning, which could create more heat for the organisers despite the gloomy weather in Greater Noida.

“What we have not done well will take care of itself as long as we keep improving what we do really well”

Shashank Kishore26-Aug-2022″If I talk sense, they listen to me. If I talk bulls**t, they don’t. It’s as simple as that.”That was February 2017. Sridharan Sriram was being succinct, as usual. Just minutes earlier, Steve O’Keefe, the left-arm spinner, had spoken glowingly about Sriram’s influence and strategic inputs after his 12-wicket haul in Pune had consigned India to one of their heaviest Test defeats at home in recent times.With the Australia men’s team, where he worked with as spin consultant for seven years until two months ago, Sriram had time to build relationships with the players. As Bangladesh’s de facto T20 head coach, he will barely get three training sessions to try and lift a team stuck in a rut in the format.Related

• Sriram wants Bangladesh's T20I players to create 'impact', not focus on 'performances'

• Litton back, Mahmudullah left out of Bangladesh's T20 World Cup squad

• Rashid: Since we play a lot of T20 leagues, we get to learn from the best

• Bangladesh turn to Shakib and Mushfiqur, again, as Farooqi threat looms large

• President in control, cricket in chaos – the Bangladesh story

Since 2021, Bangladesh have lost 23 of their 35 T20Is. This includes losses in all their Super 12 games at last year’s World Cup and series losses to Pakistan, Afghanistan, West Indies and Zimbabwe. It’s an unenviable position to be where Sriram is, but he has the methods, picked up while being a part of the entire coaching spectrum over the past decade.Bangladesh’s set-up is a complex one. For all the powers or freedom a head coach may have, there’s always the board president’s shadow looming. That is enough pressure to contend with. We aren’t even factoring in the weight of expectation from the fanatical supporters.Sriram, though, isn’t fussed. He loves challenges and embraces them. He has had to put in the hard yards to evolve. Sriram’s first-class record will tell you he made nearly 10,000 first-class runs. But, as coach, it’s his expertise in spin bowling that has made him famous.”I’ve just forgotten the fact that I was a player, it doesn’t matter how many runs I’ve scored,” he said in his first media interaction since being appointed by the BCB. “I’m here to help other people. Probably one of my biggest strengths is I don’t carry baggage of my playing days, or frustrations, or my past into coaching.Sridharan Sriram worked with Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2022•Royal Challengers Bangalore”[As coach] you see others with a completely different set of eyes, and my experience dealing with different cultures at the IPL [with Kings XI Punjab – now Punjab Kings – and Royal Challengers Bangalore], with the Indian boys, the Aussie set-up will help. There is a good mix of the east and the west [in my education]. Coming into a culture like Bangladesh, I understand their upbringing, the way they approach the game.”At the same time, I can bring in that professionalism. I can really set clear expectations on what is required at this level from a professional standpoint, so it’s a good culmination of all these [factors] and I’m really looking forward to it.”Mike Hesson, director of cricket at Royal Challengers, has had a ringside view of Sriram’s methods. The two first together for a season at Kings XI Punjab [as it was known then] and then later came together at Royal Challengers where they continue to push the bar. Together, they’ve lifted an underperfoming unit to a consistent one; they’ve now made the playoffs for three seasons in a row.”Even though Sri is experienced, he’s always looking to get ahead, challenge the norms and that’s important in a coaching group, where you want to break boundaries and look for new methods techniques to get that advantage,” Hesson told ESPNcricinfo. “He’s always looking at trends of the modern game. He always comes back refreshed with ideas to add to the group.”One of Sriram’s strengths is building relationships with players he works with. His speciality is spin but he has got enough batting expertise that makes his inputs in that area invaluable too.

“Bangladesh’s average is one of the best in the world [when it comes to picking up] the first three wickets. It’s not about what they have not done well, it’s about reiterating what they are doing well and getting the best out of them”Sridharan Sriram

Marnus Labuschagne’s rapport with Sriram is a good example. When on his first tour to India, with the Australia A team in 2018, an eager Labuschagne got help from Sriram to six a specific weakness against spin. Sriram helped prepare the appropriate surfaces, devised plans to help him employ the sweep and, at times, even facilitated extra sessions, beyond the stipulated time, to get Labuschagne ready.In Nathan Lyon, Sriram found a fiercely competitive bowler who bought into his ideas whole-heartedly, while also challenging him and identifying areas he could get better at. Sriram convinced Glenn Maxwell that he was not making the most of his bowling ability, apart from helping him adopt a few tweaks to make him a more complete batter against spin.
The other aspect Sriram has worked hard at is in trying to keep up with the evolving trends. Data and analytics are an integral part of his coaching methodology.”From a technical point of view, data has a huge role to play. [But] data without context is like money without food. Sri has taken it to another level where he is able to correlate data with visual evidence,” Malolan Rangarajan, talent scout at Royal Challengers, told us. “He’s always with his iPad or laptop, looking at videos and planning for the next game, the next scenario.”Like in the first game in this year’s IPL, the plotting of Mayank Agarwal’s wicket to Wanindu Hasaranga: I know Sri watched a number of videos, but there wasn’t too much data to dictate the kind of fields we set. It was based more on the bowler’s strengths, and we came up with an unorthodox field to get him [after the powerplay]. And we had him an over later. I’m not saying Sri is the only guy who does it, but to see such plans come to life in person is amazing. As a coach, when you come up with plans that work, it’s distinctive.”Sridharan Sriram scored 9539 first-class runs, but it’s his knowledge of spin that has made him famous•ESPNcricinfo LtdFor Sriram, each challenge is defined by the end goal. And the process to achieve that begins with solid groundwork. This includes having chats with players to understand what has brought them where they are, what works for them and what doesn’t, their habits and routines prior to matches, and in general developing an understanding of where their game is and where they want to elevate it to.”I’m coming in with a fresh set of eyes. I carry no baggage,” Sriram said. “I’m bringing in my ideas and fresh energy, wanting to get the team together and start afresh.”I was looking at this stat: Bangladesh’s average is one of the best in the world [when it comes to picking up] the first three wickets. It’s not about what they have not done well, it’s about reiterating what they are doing well and getting the best out of them.”My focus is to be on their strengths and build on what they do really well. What we’ve not done well will take care of itself as long as we keep improving what we do really well.”Sriram’s, in many ways, is a modern-day approach that could deliver the desired results for a team struggling to create its identity. The question is if Bangladesh, so keen to chop and change when things don’t go well, are willing to give him time.

Do we need another format? Why not, as long as it has the power to change perceptions and move the dial

Mark Nicholas25-Jul-2020Eulogies for cricket are much in vogue, at least here in England, where the perception of something gone persists. By assuming a groundswell of opinion around the marginalising of county cricket and the appearance of the Hundred, they suggest something pessimistic or gloomy. Truth be told, English cricket is in pretty good shape, though more needs to be done to encourage the young. The England team interprets Test cricket with bright spirit and an eye for entertainment; the one-day team are the world champions and the T20 side not far from it, but still the idea is spun that county cricket is the embodiment of all that we English are and that the Hundred is all that we are not. It beats me, as it did when T20 got a cold reception all those years ago. Remarkably few people watch county cricket live and the sense remains that those who do have little else in the diary. This is not a criticism – actually, it is rather charming – but it is close to fact.I loved playing the county game and greatly appreciated the loyalists who followed our cause with enthusiasm and warmth – so much so that many became friends. I was surprised at the travelling they did and the long hours spent on days where others might have been stoking the home fire. I remember a game that trimmed the back of April and the first days of May when it snowed. It was Malcolm Marshall’s first for Hampshire (I think) and we took him shopping to buy woollen jumpers, thick socks and shoes. The sight of him wrapped around the lone dressing-room radiator lives in the memory as if it were yesterday. Incredibly, there were spectators there too, waiting for an announcement. About tobogganing?I thought of the 1970s and ’80s as a golden age but down the track, others will reflect on eras of their own as star-spangled. That the game suits the time in which it finds itself might be its most extraordinary gift, a point best illustrated by World Series Cricket in 1978 and the IPL in 2008. Of course, if we have known and loved what has gone before, we take time to adapt. Some of us never do. In the main, though, cricket simply reflects the zeitgeist.There are so many crickets – single-wicket, double-wicket/pairs, T10, T20, 40 overs, 50 overs, 55 overs, 60 overs, 65 overs, three-day, four-day, five-day. There is declaration cricket, French cricket, cricket, indoor cricket, Kwik cricket, cage cricket, tape-ball cricket, continuous cricket, Last Man Stands, and more, much more. Don’t worry about cricket, it is just fine: even Test cricket, which inhabits an untouchable space. Indeed, the game may prefer to avoid nostalgia. After all, the past is far from perfect. Cricket has long been embroiled in controversy – amateur and professional for a start; then racism, class and coercion. No, it is better to look forward than back. To see a future and set fair for its advantages.ALSO READ: 3TC – what worked, what didn’t, and the AB de Villiers questionWhat’s the trick to getting it right? Off the field: kindness and opportunity for all. On the field: bat and ball. Get that balance right and you have a game. You can weight them one way or the other but you can’t exclude one from the other.Last Saturday, the first game of another incarnation was played in South Africa. 3 Team Cricket is the brainchild of Paul Harris – not the left-arm spinner but the former chairman of FNB and now head honcho at Rain, the South African mobile-data company. Harris loves and knows cricket, and while playing cards with his family during the early days of lockdown, began to wonder how the game could reboot itself for kids. Yes, T20 is doing okay but outside of the subcontinent, the game doesn’t burn in the hearts of children as it once did. Harris called Graeme Smith and Mark Boucher and they loved his idea for three teams of eight players each competing in the same match. Initially, the eight players was a Covid-19 thing, as the six fielders could do their bit in zones – cut like slices of pizza around the outfield – and therefore maintain the biosecure environment that was required to emerge from lockdown. Harris wanted cricket to lead the way with something fresh and innovative, something that might catch the attention of the young.He called me and for three hours made his case and I loved it. I just can’t see the downside in the search for something new. Sure, I would prefer Test cricket to remain pre-eminent for ever and a day but it won’t, maybe it already isn’t. If young people are to fall head over heels for cricket, the game must keep evolving until that silver bullet is identified. My enthusiasm for the Hundred was tempered only by the suspicion that the ECB hadn’t gone far enough. In truth, it is T20 shortened and then shoehorned with some different references and punctuation. But it’s the same game. It will now take another year for us to find out if that is to its advantage or not.Get the balance between bat and ball right and you have a game in you hands•AFP via Getty Images3 Team Cricket is a different game, albeit driven by the same aim: to make more runs than the opposition. Or in this case, oppositions. Having two opponents to consider makes the game more cerebral, inviting the exploration of how best to use your own resources against each of two opponents. If England were playing India and South Africa, for example, would you bowl the quicks against India and the spinners against South Africa? And if you do, in which half? And if the answer is the first half and it goes wrong, are you left exposed? Imagine the jeopardy. While two teams to slog it out against one another, the third team can creep up to spring a surprise.Like all limited-overs cricket, 3TC is a one-innings-per-side contest – in this case, of 12 overs per team – but spread across two periods of six overs either side of half-time. The 36-over version, as played at Supersport Park in Centurion, takes a little less time than T20 and marginally more than a Hundred match. The 90-over version of 30 overs per side may be the more suitable format for the best players.I loved the idea so much, I joined the board of 3TC – a board formed to protect IP but which worked pro bono on the development of the game – and had a hand in devising the rules and the format of the Solidarity Cup match that raised three million rand for the South African Hardship Fund.Do we need another format? Why not, so long as bat and ball stay in harmony. In streets, playgrounds, parks and on beaches, I have played ten-minute games and ten-hour games that have been anything from one a side to 12 a side. They all worked wonderfully well. Our search is for the format that grabs and holds the attention of children in a way that relates to their fascination with the world in which they live.We believe that 3TC can do great things for the development of the game; can help the Associate ICC members spread their gospel; can provide an alternative for clubs that struggle to raise teams; can work for pick-up matches; and can thrill children who may not be top dog in an 11-member team but who can play their part in a team of eight, where every little counts. We believe that shared facilities can allow two schools or clubs with limited facilities to benefit from a better-equipped third club. And we believe that 3TC can be cricket’s vehicle into the Olympic Games, the surest sign that global recognition has come the game’s way. Most immediately we plan to review the match and format and then to spread the 3 Team Cricket wings.ALSO READ: Black Lives Matter – South Africa’s cricket elite shows united face in moving Centurion tributeAs for Saturday in Centurion, well… Reeza Hendricks’ Kingfishers dropped AB de Villiers at the start of his comeback innings. This was costly. AB’s Eagles soared ahead, courtesy the maestro himself and a brilliant display of stroke-making from Aiden Markram. After their partnership, the Kingfishers and Temba Bavuma’s Kites were left to play catch-up, which was beyond them, and to battle for second placeIt is worth saying that this was a beta test. Beta minus, in fact, given the lack of any form of pilot, trial or even the necessary preparation time. It went well enough and the players say they enjoyed the originality of the format. The media, in the main, greeted the occasion with warmth, if finding a grumble in the length of the gap between the six-over batting periods. Fair enough. This was deliberately created to allow television to showcase the charities that were to benefit from the sponsorships. In general, 3TC is a fast game with the rotation of batting, bowling and dugout time being managed for its efficiency.The biggest problem, especially for a new format, was the empty stadium. Even the Premier League in England has struggled with the lack of any atmosphere, to the point where matches televised from partisan venues such as Anfield and Old Trafford still feel like pre-season friendlies. Imagine a 3 Team Cricket match that goes to the wire in front of a full house of three sets of supporters. Imagine the commercial opportunities that come with three seats of fans watching on television in different locations at home or around the world.Of course, six fielders made life too easy for the batsmen, and on the slow winter’s pitch, wickets were hard to come by. The reason for six fielders, or eight-man teams, was the agreement made with the government to support the rules of a biosecure environment and ensure the fewest number of people on site as possible. At a high level of the game, both in the 36-over and 90-over version, 3TC will have nine fielders in support of bowler and wicketkeeper. At lower levels, those in charge of matches can agree upon any number of fielders between six and nine, and if necessary, “borrow” from the dugout team, whose interest in knocking over the batting team will be as strong as that of the fielding side.This has the potential to be a game of tactics, patience, nuance and surprise, its unpredictability a trump card. At the end of each match, three captains stand on the podium – one with gold, one with silver and one with bronze. Each of their players will have had a say. Like the Hundred next year, T20 17 years ago, and one-day cricket back in the mists of time, 3 Team Cricket has the power to change perceptions and move the dial. County cricket as we know it, or four-day cricket around the world – though still admirable and essential as the breeding ground for our Test match heroes – will not do that. We must keep looking forward.

Ex-Chelsea star William Gallas has revealed who he believes the Blues should sign this January, as their lack of striking options rears its head once again following a second injury in quick succession for summer signing Liam Delap. Gallas believes the Blues should target 'dream' striker Victor Osimhen, who he believes would adapt with ease to the demands of the club and the Premier League and could put Chelsea 'on top'.

Gallas backs Osimhen to be Chelsea's 'dream' striker

The No.9 shirt at Stamford Bridge remains somewhat of a poisoned chalice, as striker after striker have donned the shirt for the Blues but have failed to deliver the goods for the west London outfit over a period of time exceeding 20 years.

Delap may not have had the opportunity to truly show what he is about on the pitch, but the 22-year-old has already missed 11 matches through injury this campaign and is not expected to be back in action until the new year at the very least, though this is not as bad as initially feared after he suffered a shoulder injury at Bournemouth.

A two-time Premier League winner with Chelsea, Gallas has revealed that he feels Nigeria international and current Galatasaray star Osimhen could be the striker who could turn things around at Stamford Bridge, offering the club the experience they have been lacking in forward areas for several years.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'He can put Chelsea on top' – Gallas calls for Blues to sign Osimhen

Osimhen became a global star during his time at Napoli, where he won the Scudetto in 2023 and became one of the most sought-after strikers in world football in the process. Premier League clubs have long been linked with his signature, but a mixture of high demands by both Napoli and the player meant that a move to England fell through. Osimhen instead secured a move to Galatasaray last summer following a previous loan spell, and has scored 48 goals in 56 matches for the Turkish giants.

Gallas told OLBG on Osimhen and Chelsea: “To be honest, Chelsea, at the moment, I think they are missing one experienced player, and a player who can put Chelsea really on top for me is Victor Osimhen.

“I wanted to see him sign for Chelsea. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. But yeah, my dream is to see him play for Chelsea because with his quality, I think he can adapt to Chelsea perfectly.”

Gallas speaks on how Delap can take his game to the next level

Gallas also spoke on Delap and his – admittedly stunted – adaptation period at Chelsea, claiming that the former Ipswich Town striker needs to “take a risk” in order to return to the player he was for the Tractor Boys last season, where he scored 12 league goals in the first top-flight season of his career ahead of his £30million ($40m) summer move to the Bridge.

The former defender, who represented all of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur during his Premier League career, cited the increased pressure Delap may be feeling with the Blues and may feel that having Osimhen alongside him could help the young striker thrive.

Gallas said: “I think he [Delap] has to take a risk. He has to try to be the same player he was at Ipswich, he scored goals. He looked like he was enjoying his football.

“I know when you move to another club, especially a big club, you get more pressure, you try to do everything right, but no, just be who you are and take some risks and nobody will tell you not to.”

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Getty Images SportChelsea with striker decision to be made after latest injury set-back

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea will look to add another striker in January following Delap’s latest injury set-back. In the meantime, teenager Marc Guiu may get more of a chance to show his worth amidst the continued belief that Joao Pedro prefers playing in behind the striker.

Chelsea already showed the door to their most senior striking option last summer in Nicolas Jackson, who is currently plying his trade on loan at Bayern Munich and is unlikely to have any kind of a future at Stamford Bridge.

Osimhen has expressed a desire to move to the Premier League in the past and if the Blues were to listen to Gallas and make a move for the Nigerian, the chance remains that they could get their man.

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Mas engana-se quem pensa que Abel Ferreira é freguês do time do Morumbis. Desde que a comissão técnica portuguesa chegou ao Verdão, contra o São Paulo, foram 22 partidas, com sete vitórias, oito empates e sete derrotas, marcando 24 gols e tendo 16 gols sofridos.

Apesar do vice-paulista em 2021 e as eliminações das Copas do Brasil de 2022 e 2023, o Palmeiras de Abel Ferreira eliminou o São Paulo nas quartas de final da Libertadores de 2021 e também venceu o Paulistão de 2022 de maneira épica com uma goleada de 4 a 0 sobre o rival.

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Ainda no Brasileirão de 2023, a goleada por 5 a 0 sobre o São Paulo foi o jogo que fez o time de Abel Ferreira iniciar a arrancara heróica rumo ao seu 12º título brasileiro.

➡️ Veja os grupos e datas dos confrontos no Paulistão

Mesmo com tamanho equilíbrio nos duelos recentes, o São Paulo é um dos dois únicos clubes da Série A do Campeonato Brasileiro que levam vantagem sobre o Palmeiras na história do confronto: três vitórias a mais. O outro é o Internacional-RS, com cinco.As demais 17 equipes estão em desvantagem em relação ao atual bicampeão brasileiro.

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