Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Gabriel Jesus is nearing a first-team return after 10 months out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The Brazilian has been working his way back to fitness but hasn't featured for the Gunners since January. However, after playing in a behind-closed-doors match this week, he is inching nearer to becoming available once again.

Arteta feels responsible for Jesus' injury

Forward Jesus was forced off in Arsenal's FA Cup defeat to Manchester United at the start of the year, with it later emerging he had injured his ACL in his left knee. While freak injuries like this can happen at any time in football, manager Arteta felt he could have done things differently to potentially prevent this setback by not playing him as much. However, they were without Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz due to injury, so their attack was stretched thin.

The Spaniard said in May: "It's very difficult now to understand that, if I could pause the game and say, Gabriel Jesus, we brought you back to life. You know, you are doing incredibly well. You're going to now get injured, so stop. I would stop him, bring another player in and continue to play the game. Unfortunately, we cannot do this in football."

AdvertisementAFPJesus plays in private game

Earlier this week, Arteta hinted Jesus could play in a behind-closed-doors match, with the 28-year-old not ready for the Bayern Munich clash, a Champions League game they won 3-1 on Wednesday. When asked about the Brazilian's condition, he told reporters: "Very good. He's doing everything with the team at the moment for the last almost two weeks. We're going to give him some exposure as well internally with some games, so he gets that fitness. But he looks really good in training, and he's going to be a big addition to the team."

Then, on Friday, the Gunners boss said that Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri took part in this secret match.

"It did happen. Gabi participated, and Ethan as well, because he wanted some minutes. We took the opportunity; they wanted a bit of exposure to competition, and providing that was very positive," he added.

Chelsea test looms

While Jesus – who has had an injury-blighted spell at Arsenal since moving from City in 2022 – may not be ready to face Chelsea on Sunday, Arteta hopes the likes of Leandro Trossard, Viktor Gyokeres, and Kai Havertz will be available after their own respective injury issues.

He told reporters: "There’s another test today, we have to see how he's [Trossard] feeling. It doesn't look much, so we still have a few hours and we'll have to see. We have another day tomorrow, so let's see how everybody is tomorrow."

After statement wins over Tottenham and Bayern this week, the north London team are eager to secure another one, this time away at rivals Chelsea.

Arteta said: "It's a big game, it's a big London derby, we're going to play a really good opponent, and they are in really good form. We know the challenge, we know the opportunity that we have as well on Sunday, so we are fully prepared for it. Those are statements that we are talking about every three days. After beating Spurs at home, then we have to make a statement against Bayern Munich, we've done that and now we have to go to the next one. That's where we are, we knew the importance of the week, not only that, but what is coming after three days is going to be exactly the same, nothing is going to change. But we are super motivated for the game."

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Getty Images SportChelsea a Premier League title rival?

Arsenal sit six points clear at the top of the Premier League ahead of their trip to second-placed Chelsea. A victory for the Blues will see that gap at the top cut to three points but a loss will see the Gunners open up a big lead at the summit. They themselves come into this game full of confidence after dismissing Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League in midweek and going by Arteta's comments, it seems he sees them as a big threat this season.

"I think we are all there and they are there because they fully deserve to be," said the ex-midfielder. "What they have done in the last few years, I think the squad that have assembled, the numbers that they have, the amount of quality, the manager and the coaching staff that they have, it makes sense that what is happening there is very, very positive and they deserve to be there."

There’s a strong case to be made that Arsenal are the best team in Europe right now. Certainly, the win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday evening underlined the credentials of Mikel Arteta’s multi-title challengers.

The Gunners have mastered their game. Some have ridiculed Arteta and his side for finishing second in the Premier League three seasons in a row, but this has only hardened their resolve and will to win, concurrently deepening the tactical layers Arteta has spent so much time developing.

This is the result of everything coming together over multiple campaigns. Hard work and perserverance. Now, Arsenal have the luxury to add elite quality to an already fearsome outfit, and technical director Andrea Berta has found his man.

Arsenal's transfer plans

After such an impressive summer transfer window, table-topping Arsenal aren’t expected to be all that busy in the January transfer window. However, the Londoners will react if the right opportunity presents itself.

Juventus playmaker Kenan Yildiz remains a long-standing target, and attacking midfield is indeed a position the Emirates outfit is likely to target in the coming windows.

However, a recent report from Caught Offside suggests Berta is gearing up to launch a move for Newcastle United full-back Tino Livramento, with the 23-year-old also attracting strong intrigue from Manchester City and Manchester United.

Livramento has been one of the Magpies’ standout players this season, and his club know it, having responded to growing interest in his name by listing him at £80m.

What Tino Livramento would offer Arsenal

Livramento has made 90 appearances for Newcastle since first arriving on Tyneside, having joined the club from Southampton in a deal rising to £40m in 2023.

Last season, he played an instrumental role in securing the Carabao Cup title, something Gunners fans might remember after his tremendous performance at the Emirates in the first leg of the semi-finals.

A modern and dynamic full-back, Livramento’s positional versatility has seen him play ample on his unnatural left flank for United, with his surpassing technical quality leading Newcastle-focused content creator Kendall Rowan to hail him as a “superstar” of a prospect.

Given that Manchester City also have a vested interest, you could say that Livramento would emulate Declan Rice by completing a big-money move from a title-winning Premier League rival like Newcastle, Rice having completed his £105m transfer to north London from West Ham United in 2023, since transcending his role as a superstar.

Right-back

91

1 + 6

Right wing-back

37

3 + 11

Left-back

24

0 + 2

Left wing-back

6

1 + 1

Right wing

1

0 + 0

As Arteta’s troops march their way through the campaign, indomitably, irrevocably, Rice is the most trusted lieutenant, now one of the best central midfielders in the world after several years lauded as an elite talent with room for growth.

In this way, Livramento would mimic him, completing a move to north London and rejecting Pep Guardiola on the way to the Emirates.

Moreover, the likes of Theo Walcott have praised Newcastle’s star full-back for his potential to become something even more, suggesting that his athleticism and ability to play across a range of positions make him someone akin to Gareth Bale.

Bale was a superstar, alright, and this is evidence that Livramento falls into a bracket of world-class players.

Newcastle are bound to play hardball over one of their biggest, most profitable talents, but Arsenal have shaped their stadium into quite the desirable destination, and Livramento would have the chance to emulate Rice in rising the Premier League ladder and becoming a superstar under Arteta’s wing.

He's becoming a Saka & Eze hybrid: Arsenal have signed an "agent of chaos"

The increible international has the ability to be as important as Saka and Eze for Arsenal this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

How will Sunderland respond to their Craven Cottage setback?

Unfortunately, for the Black Cats, their return to the Premier League after the international break was rather subdued, as Regis Le Bris’ men slipped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham.

They could put things instantly right, though, with a welcome return to home soil up next versus AFC Bournemouth, with the Wearside giants yet to lose at their beloved Stadium of Light so far this season in league action.

The games come thick and fast after this clash with the Cherries, too, with a Tyne-Wear Derby even on the menu as an early Christmas treat in mid-December.

Before you know it, the January transfer window will also reopen, as Sunderland already begin to be linked with some high-profile captures.

Sunderland looking to spend more big money

Le Bris will be hopeful that Wilson Isidor can break his four-game goalscoring duck when Andoni Iraola’s men come to town.

If he does continue to fire blanks, though, Sunderland could be prepared to splash the cash on a flashy, new striker recruit in January, as AC Milan forward Santiago Gimenez begins to be tipped for a move to England, for around the £26m price range.

He, of course, isn’t the only Serie A talent on the Premier League newcomers’ agenda, however.

Indeed, the main rumour rumbling on, heading into the bumper window, is Matteo Guendouzi potentially returning to England with the Black Cats, with a £26m move also being reported on for the Frenchman to link back up with his ex-Lorient manager in Le Bris.

There is a slight spanner in the works, though, with Italian journalist Enrico de Lellis stating – via a relayed report from Sport Witness – that the Lazio star isn’t keen on joining the newly promoted side, even with an offer allegedly being on the table for his services.

De Lellis said: “Guendouzi has an offer from Sunderland, but the player doesn’t want to go there.”

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The Mackems could well have to battle it out with Antonio Conte’s Napoli for his signature, as per further words from de Lellis, but fighting it out with some elite clubs in the past hasn’t stopped the Black Cats from landing other statement signings, as Le Bris aims to land his next Le Fee in Guendouzi.

How Guendouzi can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

Once allegedly on the radar of Arsenal, Le Fee would end up being a major coup of a loan signing for Le Bris and Co. during their promotion heroics last season.

Le Fee’s classy displays – which included this goal being expertly put away during the tense run-in – gave the Black Cats just that extra bit of pizazz to seal a dramatic return to the Premier League, as the French boss now hopes Guendouzi’s arrival can gift Sunderland another calm and controlled performer, like Fee, in their ongoing bid to punch above their weight in the top-flight.

Like his fellow compatriot, though, who struggled to get going at Lazio’s fierce rivals in AS Roma, Guendouzi hasn’t always had it his own way during his bumpy career.

He was discarded by Arsenal at the close of the 2021/22 season for his “petulance” often getting the better of him, as per the words of ex-Gunners defender Lee Dixon.

Thankfully, since his Emirates departure, Guendouzi has managed to turn into a goal-and-assist machine in Serie A with 16 goal contributions collected, with an expectation he will return to the Premier League and be capable of delivering on the big stage, much like Le Fee showed off when he converted a penalty against Brentford in late August.

Guendouzi in Serie A – 2025/26

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

Guendouzi

Games played

10

Goals scored

2

Assists

1

Touches*

57.2

Accurate passes*

41.5 (89%)

Ball recoveries*

4.3

Total duels won*

3.0

Stats by Sofascore

He has also put his hot-headedness, which became his undoing in North London, to better use in Italy, with an energetic 4.3 ball recoveries averaged per Serie A clash this season, backing up claims that he is a “monster” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Amazingly, Guendouzi’s high ball recovery numbers put him on the same pedestal as another of Arsenal’s reinvigorated ex-roster in Granit Xhaka, who has 4.6 ball recoveries averaged next to his name. Le Bris will surely be champing at the bit at the prospect of both his ex-Lorient youngster and his standout captain battling it out together from the centre of the park, away from any Le Fee comparisons.

It could well be a deal that’s hard to pull off, but Sunderland’s ambition has previously been rewarded in Le Fee, who joined the ranks permanently in the summer for £19.3m.

For around £6m more, this feels like a transfer fight worth persisting with.

Related Isidor upgrade: Sunderland open talks to sign "unstoppable" £26m striker

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Posts ByDan Emery Nov 27, 2025

The New York media does not have the same patience with Juan Soto that the Mets star has at the plate. Soto was mere games into his New York Mets career when WFAN's Sal Licata started screaming about how much he stunk. More recently ESPN New York's Michael Kay had an issue with Soto's attitude about missing the All-Star game.

On Thursday, the morning after Soto broke up a no-hitter in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians, Boomer Esiason opened WFAN's , talking about Soto's attitude and leadership. Like many Mets fans, he does not like what he's seeing.

"When Juan Soto hit that ball he might have been thrown out at first base if it didn’t go out of the building because he’s loping out of the box," said Esiason. "Now I don’t expect him to sprint to first base in a situation like this, but he watched the whole thing. This to me is a reoccurring.. and he’s got a nice smile on his face you know like he’s laughing. I’m sick of it. I want to see attitude."

Esiason then invoked names like Gary Carter and Ray Knight and said the team looked "overpaid and underwhelmed." He also said that no player is worth Soto's salary.

“Your highest-paid player, whether it be Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani or, in this case, Juan Soto, has to lead the team," Esiason continued. "They have to set the example. And when the example that is being set is one that just doesn’t look, at least to the naked eye, and as a former athlete looks to me like… If that’s the guy making $760 million and he’s supposed to be a leader, I’m not following that guy."

This was the Mets' eighth loss in their last nine games so it's no surprise that people are frustrated. Considering his salary, the weight of a prolonged slide was always going to fall on Soto's shoulders, even when he's the only person to manage a hit in a loss. His previous time in New York should have prepared him for this so perhaps it's not a surprise that his smile can be used as a negative data point.

Is it fair? Depends who one asks. Mets fans are understandably and rightfully demanding of their team this year considering the payroll. Soto was supposed to be the game-changer to get them over the hump and into the World Series.

The good news for the superstar is that the project is still very much a work in progress and it might be two months before the final verdict is in. If the Mets start winning more, smiles will be contagious and a sign of positivity, not lack of leadership.

كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير تطورات جديدة بشأن مستقبل لاعب الأهلي، مؤكدًا أن النادي تلقّى بالفعل خطابًا رسميًا من أحد الأندية الألمانية لضم اللاعب، مع اقتراب خوضه فترة معايشة خارجية قد تمهّد لاحترافه.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الأربعاء: “نادي هانوفر الألماني طلب ضم بلال عطية، وقد وصل إلى الأهلي خطاب رسمي بشأن ذلك”.

طالع أيضًا | هل يفكر الأهلي في الاستغناء عن محمد مجدي أفشة؟

وتابع: “من قبل، كان نادي شتوتجارت مهتمًا باللاعب، وخاض فترة معايشة هناك، لكن ضيق الوقت وإجراءات التأشيرة وبعض التفاصيل اللوجستية حالت دون إتمام الأمر في شهر ديسمبر كما كان مقررًا”.

وأشار: “ولذلك وافق الأهلي على سفره لفترة المعايشة، وما زال النادي يراجع بعض التفاصيل المتعلقة بالاتفاق”.

واختتم: “الخطوة التالية هي أن يخوض اللاعب فترة المعايشة بنجاح، ينبغي أن يحرص الأهلي على هؤلاء اللاعبين الشباب، مثل بلال وحمزة عبد الكريم، وأنا شخصيًا أول من يتمنى لهم الاحتراف، ولكن الأهلي يحرص على ترتيب الأمور بشكل دقيق فيما يخص هذا اللاعب، حتى تكتمل العملية على خير”.

BRISTOL, TENN. — On Sept. 2, 1961, just 41 days after the Bristol Motor Speedway opened in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the race track hosted an exhibition NFL game on land that had previously been a dairy farm. Billed as the “First Annual Pro-Bowl Football Game,” the clash between Philadelphia and Washington attracted just 8,500 fans and failed to generate a profit. One of the players would later call it “the worst field I had ever seen.” There was no second iteration. 

R.G. Pope, one of the three original co-owners of the track—and my great, great uncle—sold his stake in Bristol Motor Speedway due to his disappointment not long after. It’s safe to say he should've been more patient with his investment.

Bristol Motor Speedway has become known as The Last Great Colosseum, one of the country’s crown jewel stadiums. It hosts two NASCAR Cup Series events per year and is renowned in racing for its speed and high, 30-degree banks on the curves that allow it to lay claim to being the “world’s fastest half-mile.” Its capacity ballooned to over eight times its original figure over the course of several expansion projects, making it second to only the Indianapolis Motor Speedway among U.S. racing venues in terms of capacity. And in a reversal of fortune on the gridiron, Bristol Motor Speedway hosted a 2016 clash between the Tennessee Volunteers and Virginia Tech Hokies that drew 156,990 fans, a college football record. 

This weekend, the track helped MLB set a regular-season attendance record, as the Speedway Classic between the Braves and Reds sold 91,032 tickets, topping the 84,587 fans who watched Cleveland host the Yankees on Sept. 12, 1954. Unfortunately, the event may be remembered by fans as more trouble than it was worth, partially due to circumstances beyond MLB’s control and partially due to some mismanagement amid what was an extraordinary lift on the production side to put on the first-ever major league game in a NASCAR stadium. 

“Honestly, my first thought is I can’t believe they did all this for one game,” Braves first baseman Matt Olson said Saturday before the game’s postponement. “To be able to set all this up, get a playing surface ready … It's pretty incredible.”

The artificial playing surface was heavily tested by a slow-moving storm that lingered in Bristol throughout Saturday and started dumping rain at a far greater pace just minutes before the scheduled start time of 7:15 p.m. After a two-hour, 17-minute delay, the teams took the field, but couldn’t even make it through a full inning before the skies opened up again and the tarp came back out. Less than an hour later, the game was suspended until Sunday afternoon.

“It’s a tough situation. We live in this part of the country where those [storms] pop up and the rain is unpredictable, and you can see a window [to play] and then it shuts right there in front of you,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said Sunday. “I thought Major League Baseball did a great job. They tried to get it through. Terry and I both wanted to put it to bed last night; it didn’t happen. … Everybody that was making those decisions, it’s not easy. When you’re in those rooms, and it’s a game of this magnitude, those aren’t easy decisions.”

The stands were noticeably thinner Sunday, at least at the outset. Perhaps that was due to fans’ pre-booked travel plans to leave that morning. Perhaps it was because they were frustrated by having to wait out Saturday’s delay as concession stands ran out of supplies. (MLB allowed fans to bring in food and soft drinks Sunday, seemingly an admission of the dreadfully long lines that plagued Saturday). Or perhaps they were discouraged by the arduous late-night exit process, as a location bereft of adequate public transportation and rideshare drivers forced most fans to walk long distances in the rain to their car or a suitable spot to be picked up.

The attendance milestone should perhaps come with an asterisk, anyway—even with some sections blocked off, thousands of fans had terribly obstructed views due to the press box along the third base line, a rather careless oversight seemingly born from the league’s desire to set an attendance record. That being said, there were plenty of open seats and tickets weren’t being checked at section entrances, so if fans wanted to upgrade their views the old-fashioned way, the opportunity was there—and many clearly took it. 

As it were, the home of racing’s fastest half-mile ended up hosting baseball’s slowest half-inning. The Reds scored once in the bottom of the first before the game was called Saturday. Braves youngster Hurston Waldrep, who was supposed to pitch in Triple A on Sunday, was instead called up overnight and relieved starter Austin Cox upon the resumption of play Sunday. He retired the side before going on to earn his first major league win. “One inning down!” one fan sarcastically yelled upon the completion of the near 16-hour opening frame. 

MatériaMais Notícias

Quase três semanas após a lesão ligamentar sofrida por Maycon, o técnico António Oliveira ainda busca um substituto para o camisa 7 no Corinthians.

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➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

O meio-campo do Corinthians mais uma vez foi o setor que recebeu críticas na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Nacional-PAR, pela Libertadores, e António Oliveira ainda não encontrou a formação ideal sem Maycon.

➡️ Siga o Lance! Corinthians no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Timão

– Temos sido castigados com muitas lesões, principalmente no meio-campo. Temos ausência de opções, uma delas, que era extremamente importante, não retorna nesta temporada. Quero deixar um abraço ao Maycon, é um dos jogadores mais inteligentes que já treinei. Tem um entendimento do jogo muito acima da média, é um jogador com um cultura tática muito grande – revelou o treinador corintiano durante coleitva.

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No duelo contra o Nacional, além de Maycon, António Oliveira não contou com Fausto Vera, Rodrigo Garro, Matheus Araújo e Raniele. Sem o quinteto, o treinador português optou por uma formação com Paulinho, Bidon e Biro.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos da Sul-Americana

MAYCON SEGUE NO TIMÃO?

O prazo de recuperação para a lesão de Maycon é de nove meses, e como o meia está emprestado ao Corinthians pelo Shakhtar Donetsk até o final da temporada, o camisa 7 pode não atuar mais pelo clube brasileiro,

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António OliveiraCorinthiansMaycon de Andrade Barberan

Cristiano Ronaldo was left out from Al-Nassr's matchday squad for the trip to Istiklol in Wednesday's AFC Champions League Two encounter, with fans served a reminder that the Portuguese icon is unlikely to play much part in Asia's second-tier continental competition. In Ronaldo's absence, Joao Felix led the charge and starred in an emphatic 4-0 win, continuing Al-Nassr's brilliant start to the season.

Al-Nassr get the job done in Ronaldo's absence

Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al-Nassr travelled to Tajikistan on Wednesday to take on Istiklol at the Markazii Jumhuriyavii Stadium for an AFC Champions League Two encounter. The visitors came away with a convincing 4-0 win and did so without the services of club talisman Ronaldo, who was left out of the matchday squad. 

Head coach Jorge Jesus decided to field a heavily-rotated side for the game, resting the likes of Sadio Mane and Inigo Martinez. What's more, Kingsley Coman, like Ronaldo, was not in the matchday squad. However, that didn't put a spanner in Al-Nassr's works.

Felix, who has been in scintillating form of late, opened the scoring in the 12th minute, firing a perfect penalty past the hapless Istiklol goalkeeper Nikola Stosic. Mohamed Simakan, formerly of Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, doubled the lead just five minutes from the end of first half, ensuring the visitors took a commanding 2-0 lead into the break. 

For long stretches of the second half, Jesus’ men drifted through the game without ever hitting top speed. However, the introductions of Sadio Mane and Ayman Yahya piled further misery on to the hosts. The ex-Southampton, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich forward converted Felix's assist to put the game to bed in the 84th minute, and before full-time Saudi Arabia international Yahya put the cherry on top of a dazzling performance with a stoppage-time goal.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy doesn't Ronaldo play in AFC Champions League Two?

Even though Ronaldo will turn 41 in a few months time, he continues to demand the absolute best from himself and his counterparts. After an underwhelming 2024-25 season, during which Al-Nassr finished third in the Saudi Pro League, they could only manage to earn a place in the AFC Champions League Two, which is a second-tier continental competition in Asia, behind the more famous and prestigious AFC Champions League. 

So far, Al-Nassr have played five group stage matches in the competition, winning all five. Prior to their trip to Istiklol in Tajikistan, they had already travelled to face FC Goa in India and Al-Zawraa in Iraq. Yet despite the flawless start, the all-time great has not been included in a single matchday squad in the AFC Champions League Two this season. With that in mind, it appears unlikely he will feature in the final group fixture against Al-Zawraa next month.

"I thought this was the best time to rest Cristiano Ronaldo," head coach Jesus said last month ahead of an AFC Champions League Two game. "He’s currently 40 years old, and we fear he might suffer injuries, that’s why I decided to exclude him.

"For matches outside Saudi Arabia, we decided to rest Ronaldo. We have to make choices and we’ve decided to leave him in Riyadh to prepare for the upcoming matches… We need to preserve his fitness."

Felix has become the new star of Al-Nassr

sAfter experiencing failure at Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, and AC Milan, former Benfica star boy Felix arrived at Al-Nassr with hopes of reigniting his once-promising football career. The 26-year-old could have hardly hoped for a better start. With 14 strikes in 15 games, he has rediscovered his goal-scoring hunger and has even found his team-mate Ronaldo trailing him in the scoring charts across all competitions.

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AFPWorld Cup win the ideal endgame for Ronaldo

In an illustrious career spanning more than two decades, Ronaldo has won it all. Yet his relentless hunger still sets him apart – making him invaluable not only in the opposition box, but also as a leader whose elite mentality elevates everyone around him.

However, the World Cup continues to elude him. Even though he has admitted that lifting the world's greatest trophy won't change his legacy one bit, it goes without saying that he is ultra-motivated to lay his hands on the global crown. It wouldn't get any better than if he could score his 1,000th professional goal while leading Portugal's cause next year.

Chelsea are now ready to trigger the £44m release clause to sign an “unstoppable” striker, who has been in fantastic form so far this season.

Blues stepping up striker pursuit despite Delap scoring first goal

The Blues upgraded their forward line considerably during the summer, bringing in Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, and the latter is now finally off the mark in front of goal, having scored the third in the comprehensive 3-0 victory against Barcelona in the Champions League.

Pedro has been more prolific, chipping in with four goals and three assists in the Premier League this season, and the Brazilian has also displayed his versatility by featuring at both centre-forward and in attacking midfield.

With the former Brighton man able to play in a slightly deeper role, there may be room in the squad to bring in another, more natural centre-forward in the January transfer window, and the Blues are now stepping up their pursuit of a Bundesliga star.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now ready to trigger the €50m (£44m) release clause in Serhou Guirassy’s Borussia Dortmund contract, having identified the striker as a priority target.

Manchester United are also in the race for Guirassy, who is open to a move to the Premier League, with Dortmund powerless to prevent a departure if one of the interested English clubs stumps up the requisite £44m.

The Guinean forward is enticed by the projects on offer at both Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, and his performances so far this season suggest he would be able to hit the ground running in the Premier League.

"Unstoppable" Guirassy tearing it up in the Bundesliga

Lauded as “unstoppable” by scout Antonio Mango, the 29-year-old has already amassed 13 goal contributions across all competitions this season, particularly catching the eye for Dortmund in the Champions League.

Serhou Guirassy’s key statistics 2025-26

Appearances

Goal contributions

Bundesliga

11

6

Champions League

5

6

DFB-Pokal

2

1

The France-born striker has averaged 0.61 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 86th percentile compared to other forwards, while he is also impressive in the air, placing in the 82nd percentile for aerials won, having averaged 3.48 per 90.

As such, the Dortmund star clearly has the talent to succeed in the Premier League, but there may be some concerns about his age, given that BlueCo are known for wanting to sign younger players, and he is set to turn 30 in March.

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ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2025

That said, with a potential title race on the cards, Guirassy could be a real difference-maker, and £44m would be a reasonable fee, given the level of his performances so far this season.

Manchester United’s supporters have been largely left frustrated over the last decade, with the club unable to achieve any sustained success since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

The Scotsman decided to call it a day at the end of the 2012/13 season, with the Red Devils yet to claim Premier League glory under the guidance of any other manager.

Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try his luck at Old Trafford, with the hierarchy already backing him in his quest for success during his tenure in the role.

He’s already spent upwards of £220m since his appointment last November, with the majority of his spending being directed into the final third of the squad.

However, with January rapidly approaching, the board have shifted their attention to the midfield department, which has led to a whole host of players being touted for a move to join the club.

The latest on United’s move to land Elliot Anderson

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been hugely touted with various moves for a number of central midfielders to help bolster Amorim’s squad in the second half of the season.

The likes of Adam Wharton, Joao Gomes and Ederson have all been linked with moves, but none of the aforementioned talents appear to be their main target.

Such a luxury has fallen into the hands of Elliot Anderson, with the Nottingham Forest star seemingly being the Red Devils’ number one target this January.

The 23-year-old has been in remarkable form for Sean Dyche’s side this season, leading to the youngster becoming a regular starter in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

It’s been reported that Amorim’s side are willing to pay £60m for the signature of the midfielder in the upcoming window to try and solve their issue at the heart of the squad.

However, such a deal could well be rejected out of hand, with Forest wanting at least £100m for their star man, who has three and a half years left on his current deal.

Anderson also has no release clause in his current deal at the City Ground, which puts Dyche’s men in full control over negotiations when it comes down to conducting a transfer.

If Amorim’s men are to land the Englishman this window, the £100m deal would see a new club-record being paid for his signature – surpassing the £89m paid for Paul Pogba nearly a decade ago.

The player who Amorim could sell to fund the Anderson deal

£100m is a mammoth sum, even in today’s market, but Anderson’s stats from the current campaign showcase why he’s so highly-rated by his current employers.

He’s ranked top of numerous different categories across the Premier League this season, ranging from touches of the ball to possession won for his side.

His tally of 8.6 progressive passes per 90 highlights his phenomenal ball-playing ability, but it’s his work out of possession that could be the selling point to Amorim and the board.

A real ball-winner is what the club have lacked in recent times, with the Englishman’s dominance in winning the ball back seemingly what’s prompted the recent interest.

However, after splashing around £200m on new additions in the summer, it remains to be seen how much the board are willing to spend in the upcoming January window.

As a result, numerous players may have to be offloaded from the current squad, with Kobbie Mainoo just one star who could be sold by Amorim.

Such a sentence would have been absurd 12 months ago, but the midfielder has simply been unable to showcase his talents since the arrival of the 40-year-old.

In 2025/26 alone, the 20-year-old has featured just eight times in the league, but none of which have come from a starting role – restricting him to just 170 minutes of action to date.

He’s since dropped behind the experienced Casemiro in the pecking order, with the manager evidently favouring the Brazilian over the academy sensation.

However, it could get worse for Mainoo in the near future, with the Red Devils having youngsters such as Sekou Kone who could also rise above him in Amorim’s plans.

Anderson’s arrival would also do just that, potentially seeing Mainoo become surplus to requirements at Old Trafford – something which is a real travesty.

Games played

25

Minutes played

1656

Pass accuracy

87%

Chances created

1.7

Successful dribbles

1.3

Tackles won

63%

Duels won

5.9

Interceptions made

1.2

Recoveries made

4.8

Just a couple of years ago, he was scoring key goals in FA Cup finals and local derbies, even leading to journalist Liam Canning labelling him as the club’s “best player”.

However, it’s evident the boss doesn’t have as much faith in the player as many outsiders do, which could force the youngster to move on to reach his full potential elsewhere.

It’s likely he would still command a hefty fee should he be sold in January, with such funds potentially playing a key role in any pursuit of Anderson in the weeks ahead.

The downfall of Mainoo has been truly devastating for the fanbase to witness, especially after the joy he gave them when he breezed into the first-team setup as an 18-year-old.

However, it’s crucial the club cash in on him before his value declines further, with the board needing to make huge calls if they are to land the Forest star or keep the academy graduate happy at the club.

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