Latest news with #CUP2025
Scottish Sun
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Man Utd line up bargain Club World Cup keeper to replace injured Andre Onana with Brazilian side resigned to losing him
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BOTAFOGO are making plans for the possible exit of goalkeeper John Victor to Manchester United by hunting for a new goalkeeper. Ruben Amorim has been rocked by a hamstring injury to No1 Andre Onana which could see him sidelined for two months. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Man Utd are lining up a move for Botafogo goalkeeper John Victor Credit: Getty 2 Andre Onana will miss pre-season with a hamstring injury Credit: Getty The Red Devils boss had decided the Cameroon ace would be his first choice for the forthcoming campaign despite a string of blunders over the past couple of years. But he now has a problem as second choice Altay Bayindir is for sale this summer having failed to impress his Old Trafford bosses. Brazilian Victor is one of the options earmarked by the Red Devils and would be available for around £6million due to a release clause in his contract. Botafogo know they would be powerless to stop him leaving if someone bids the full amount. And the Brazilians - who beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup group stages - have registered their interest in Atletico Mineiro's Matheus Mendes, according to reports in South America. Meanwhile, United outcast Alejandro Garnacho has knocked back interest from Saudi Arabia as he searches for a new club. The Argentine winger has been told by Amorim he has no future at Old Trafford and has been told to stay away from first team training at Carrington. However he has decided a money-spinning move to the Middle East with Al Nassr is not right for him at the age of just 21. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS It would have seen him link up with his hero Cristiano Ronaldo who has been such a big influence on his career. However, Garnacho is keen to remain in the Premier League or move to a top league in Europe – with Napoli among the clubs watching him. Juventus want Rashford! United also remain hopeful of completing a move for Bryan Mbeumo. It's been 41 days since the first of their two failed bids went in for the Brentford forward. But reports claim a third offer could be coming shortly. WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN
Scottish Sun
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
How Maresca can fit £190m new strikers Delap, Joao Pedro, Gittens and Estevao into his Chelsea team next season
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHELSEA'S transfer strategy since the take over by Todd Boehly and BlueCo in 2022 has been scattergun to say the least. The new ownership group has installed a clear recruitment plan - buy young players with high potential whatever it costs. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 17 Enzo Maresca has a few problems to solve next season Credit: AFP The burn and churn policy means Chelsea have a lot of players on their books, which gives manager Enzo Maresca a huge headache. TheItalian coach has made it clear he favours a smaller and tighter squad so that players would be able to build understanding and momentum. Yet the logic of having so many top scouts and sporting directors dictates that more and more players will continue to be brought into the club. WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN read more in football PALMED OFF Furious Cole Palmer kicks post and stares down Chelsea team-mate for not passing They have already strengthened their forward options since the end of the season with Liam Delap from Ipswich for £30m, Joao Pedro from Brighton for £60m, Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund for £48m and Estevao from Palmeiras for £52m all coming into the club. So how on earth will Maresca navigate a way through this mess, and find an attack that blends the old with the new? Boehly and the board have spent another £190m on four attackers this summer, and there may yet be more players coming in at Stamford Bridge. Our tactics expert Lee Scott takes a look at each of these players with a view to understanding how they might fit at Chelsea next season. Liam Delap Despite Ipswich being relegated from the Premier league last season it is fair to say that the England U21 international striker Liam Delap was one of the most coveted strikers in the window. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK There was significant interest in signing the former Man City academy player from rivals Man United. But it was Chelsea that moved quickest to secure the signature of the player for £30m. Last season Delap finished with 13 goals and 3 assists in all competitions for a team that were relegated. Compare that to Nicolas Jackson, the forward that Delap will likely replace at Chelsea, who scored 13 goals and had 6 assists for a team who created far more chances and crucially far more high quality chances. 17 Liam Delap signed for Chelsea for £30m this summer Credit: Alamy 17 Delap makes a run behind and Fernandez finds him with a clever pass Here, we see an example of what Delap brings to Chelsea, in the Club World Cup game with ES Tunis. He receives the chipped forward pass from Enzo Fernandez having found space between the fullback and the near side central defender. As he takes the ball down he takes contact from the fullback and holds the player off as he spins and drives into the area before finishing in style. One of the biggest criticisms of Jackson is that the Senegalese striker would regularly miss chances that appeared to be clear cut. He is strong in transition and shows good movement but his final action was still relatively erratic and not consistent enough. Delap, on the other hand, is a forward who pounces on half chances and is much more likely to take advantage of crosses and balls that are played into the area. Delap's strength is his ability to be a focal point on the last line and to create shooting opportunities. This is the aspect of his game that will be most beneficial for Chelsea in terms of upgrading what they had at the position last season. 17 Delap could play up the middle, with two traditional wingers either side 17 Liam Delap makes a run into the box to make a simple finish Delap provides a genuine presence in the opposition penalty area. Here, as the ball is crossed to the far post we see the English striker keep himself alive and separated from defensive players. As the ball comes back across he has an easy finish. Delap is likely to start the season as the main striker for Chelsea with Jackson dropping to the bench. Joao Pedro The signing of the 23-year-old Brazilian Joao Pedro, for £60m from Brighton, is slightly more difficult to read. This is because it is difficult to decide what his best position really is. He is perhaps best described as a modern versatile forward. While looked amazing as a lone striker with his two-goal performance against Fluminense in the Club World Cup, he is best when playing in close connection to others. We believe there is a chance that he is being seen as an option to play as the advanced attacking midfielder just behind Delap. Last season the Brazilian forward ended the campaign with 10 goals and 7 assists as this more creative forward type for Brighton. 17 Joao Pedro has made a blistering start to his Chelsea career Credit: Getty 17 Joao Pedro brings creativity and here he creates a chance for Yankuba Minteh at Brighton Here, we see the type of chance creation that Chelsea fans can expect to see from Joao Pedro. He takes possession initially on the near side and drives inside into space. He has the composure to see the run from his side towards the centre from Yankuba Minteh and he slides a pass through the last line to create a goalscoring opportunity. Even when Joao Pedro played as a central striker at Brighton and at Watford he showed a clear tendency to drop deeper in towards the midfield and to look for pockets of space between the lines. This is why we do not believe that he will regularly play as the No 9 as Maresca needs a 9 who will play, as Delap does, on the last line threatening space and pushing the opposition defensive line back. He does move the ball very well to find teammates and to take advantage of space that the opposition leaves behind. His technical level is extremely high and he shifts the ball effectively at speed taking advantage of any spaces that are present in the opposition defensive block. 17 Joao Pedro could play in the middle of the front three 17 Joao Pedro however also has the ability to play out on the wing, with Delap in the centre 17 Or Joao Pedro could be used deeper as a No10 alongside Cole Palmer 17 Joao Pedro's close control and inventive pass creates a chance for Brighton last season This time we see Joao Pedro taking possession of the ball on the edge of the opposition area as Mitoma pulls the ball back to him. As he receives the ball there are two opposition players immediately pressing. The Brazilian international is intelligent enough to allow the press to develop before flicking the ball across to a teammate to finish. Joao Pedro will without a doubt bring value to Chelsea going into next season although it remains to be seen exactly how he will be used positionally by Maresca going into next season. Jamie Gittens The 20-year-old English U21 international Jamie Gittens has just moved to Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund in Germany. He played 2,803 minutes in all competitions and he ended with 12 goals and 5 assists. He is naturally right-footed and he typically plays as an attacking left-winger. Chelsea struggled for consistent production from their wingers last season with Noni Madueke arguably being the best wide attacker that they had. Now, Madueke appears to be for sale with several clubs showing significant interest as Chelsea perhaps look to make space for their new arrivals. Gittens is a wide attacker who is at his best when he gets the ball in positions where he can dribble and look to outplay opposition defenders in 1v1 situations. 17 Jamie Gittens is returning to England with Chelsea Credit: Getty 17 Jamie Gittens is a left winger who loves to cut inside on to his right foot Here, we see Gittens receiving the ball out wide in a position where he is faced up 1v1 against the opposition defender. He immediately takes the ball and looks to attack. He is well balanced with quick feet providing real threat in terms of outplaying the defender on either the inside or the outside. Gittens is still not the finished article but he is a young attacking player with genuine and real potential. If he develops properly then he could provide the point of difference in terms of having a real 1v1 threat that Chelsea were missing last season. Often they were too predictable when receiving the ball wide and Gittens is anything but predictable. He provides a threat in terms of shooting as he has a clear tendency to drive inside and even when defenders know that this is what he wants to do they still struggle to stop him. 17 Gittens is able to go outside or inside his opposing defender Again, here we see him receiving the ball in a position where he can immediately face up the opposition defender in a 1v1 situation. While he is well balanced and can attack down the outside he wants to create maximum threat and to go inside to a position where he can shoot at goal. Despite the fact that Gittens is not yet fully developed we still believe that there is a chance that he starts the new season as the first choice left-sided attacker for Chelsea. Estevao The most exciting of the new arrivals is the hardest to predict at this stage of his development. Chelsea moved quickly to secure the signing of the 18-year-old Brazilian international winger Estevao from Palmeiras. The youngster made his debut as a 16-year-old and very quickly started to attract interest. Now, Chelsea have beaten off competition for his signature. Estevao is a left-footed attacking player who profiles best as a right-sided attacking winger with his ability to come inside and create threat when coming inside in possession. He is a dangerous dribbler but he is at his most dangerous in the final third in positions where he can take the ball and come inside to create shooting opportunities for himself. 17 Estevao Willian has been hyped up to be the next Neymar by the Brazilian media Credit: Getty 17 Here, we see Estevao actually scoring against Chelsea in the Club World Cup. He is positioned intelligently in the channel and as he receives the pass inside he immediately pushes the ball forward before then finishing with power at the near post. It remains to be seen whether Estevao is an immediate starter at Chelsea or whether he will back up the likes of Cole Palmer or even spend his first season in Europe on loan in France with Strasbourg. If he does remain at Chelsea though and if he does get first-team minutes then he has the quality to contribute. 17 Estevao has the pace to run in behind the opposition defence This time we see the young Brazilian international holding a wide position to stretch the pitch and find space on the outside of the opposition defence. All it takes is one long pass to release Estevao into space as he drives forward and ends up scoring in the opposition area. He is intelligent in his positioning and in the runs that he makes. When playing with more technical and intelligent players at Chelsea he will likely make a real impact if he is given a chance to do so. Conclusion Knowing Chelsea and their ownership the way that we do now there is little doubt that their signings are not finished for next season. We will likely continue to see them be active in the market as they strengthen and add more young talent. With the four attacking players that have been added so far, however, there is little doubt that they have given Maresca more options next season.
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
PSG vs Real Madrid LIVE SCORE: Latest from Club World Cup semi as Trent PULLS OUT of starting XI at last minute
FINAL CALL PSG vs Real Madrid LIVE SCORE: Latest from Club World Cup semi as Trent PULLS OUT of starting XI at last minute TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD will MISS the Club World Cup semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain. England star Trent was due to start but pulled out at the last minute after a setback in training, with Fede Valverde coming in for Real Madrid. Advertisement Xabi Alonso's side face European champions Paris Saint-Germain in a massive semi-final, with a place in Sunday's final at stake. The winner will face Chelsea, who beat Fluminense on Tuesday night. Kick-off time: 8pm BST 8pm BST FREE Live stream / TV: DAZN / Channel 5 DAZN / Channel 5 PSG XI: To follow... To follow... Real Madrid XI: To follow... WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN Follow ALL the action from this Club World Cup semi-final with our live blog below... Advertisement
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Fluminense vs Chelsea LIVE SCORE: Joao Pedro hits TWO stunners for Blues against his boyhood club in Club World Cup semi
WOW PEDRO Fluminense vs Chelsea LIVE SCORE: Joao Pedro hits TWO stunners for Blues against his boyhood club in Club World Cup semi Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHELSEA are beating Brazilian side Fluminense in a thrilling Club World Cup semi-final RIGHT NOW - and Joao Pedro has been the star of the show. Pedro is making his first Blues start and against his boyhood club and he has scored two stunners to give the Premier League one foot in the final. PSG or Real Madrid await in the final with their semi-final on tomorrow night. Kick-off time: 8pm BST 8pm BST FREE Live stream/TV: DAZN DAZN Fluminense XI: Fabio, Ignacio, Thiago Silva, Santos, Guga, Hercules, Bernal, Gustavo, Rene, Arias, Cano. Fabio, Ignacio, Thiago Silva, Santos, Guga, Hercules, Bernal, Gustavo, Rene, Arias, Cano. Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Chaloba, Tosin, Cucurella, Caicedo, Enzo, Nkunku, Palmer, Neto, Joao Pedro. WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN Follow ALL the action from this Club World Cup semi-final with our live blog below...
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
‘I've seen it all' – Michael Buffer introduces Chelsea and Fluminense players and teams like boxers in Club World Cup
Fans in attendance at the MetLife Stadium went crazy MIC DROP 'I've seen it all' – Michael Buffer introduces Chelsea and Fluminense players and teams like boxers in Club World Cup FOOTBALL fans were left stunned by boxing icon Michael Buffer's Club World Cup semi-final appearance. The iconic announcer was a guest of honour for Chelsea's clash with Fluminense at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey this evening. Advertisement 4 Boxing icon Michael Buffer was guest of honour at the Club World Cup semi-final between Chelsea and Fluminense Credit: REUTERS 4 The 80-year-old gave both sets of players boxing style introductions Credit: DAZN 4 He signed off with his classic 'Let's get ready to rumble' commencement call Credit: DAZN And tournament organisers had the 80-year-old read out the names of both sets players before he sent the crowd wild with his trademark commencement call. To the delight of the capacity crowd, he said: "Ladies and gentlemen, let's get ready to rumble!" Footage of Buffer's pre-match introductions went viral on social media. One stunned footie fan said of his appearance: "Wowwwwww." Advertisement READ MORE ON CHELSEA final lap Chelsea's Delap 'splits from model girlfriend' as she posts cryptic message Another said: "No way is this real." And another said with a fire emoji: "Let's go." One remarked: "Michael Buffer introducing a football match, I have seen it all now." Chelsea fans are no strangers to having Buffer announce their starting XI. Advertisement WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN 4 BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Buffer introduced the west Londoners ahead of their Premier League clash with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in May 2018. Advertisement But his pitchside announcing didn't go fully to plan as he ended up being soaked by the sprinklers. Buffer smiled and laughed off the incident. After brushing off his accidental soaking, he roared: "Ladies and gentlemen, let's get ready for football." Chelsea took a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute through a stunner from newboy Joao Pedro.
