da 888casino： One position that is key in Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea system, is the wingers, pinning fullbacks high and wide, looking to provide the team with output and being isolated in 1v1 scenarios as often as possible.

da dobrowin： However, the Italian has lost his most productive wide option to injury, Noni Madueke, who has netted eight times this season, also providing four assists and totalling 1,653 minutes played.

This leaves Maresca with just Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho as his senior wide options, as the Blues also lost another winger due to suspension back in December last year.

Mykhailo Mudryk's time at Chelsea

Chelsea announced in December 2024, that Ukrainian winger, Mykhailo Mudryk had been provisionally suspended by the FA after testing positive for a banned substance.

This came after making 15 appearances for the Blues this season, scoring three goals, providing five assists and totalling 849 minutes played.

Whilst a large majority of Mudryk’s minutes came in the UEFA Conference League (523 minutes), losing the 24-year-old has still affected Maresca’s squad, as they are now left with just two natural senior wingers after Madueke’s injury.

The Blues signed Mudryk in January 2023, with an initial fee of around £62m with up to a further £27m in bonuses. The Ukrainian is now valued at €38.5m (£31.8m) according to Football Transfers, but that is still more than a certain other Chelsea man…

The Chelsea star who's now worth less than Mudryk

Reece James was once valued as high as £57.4m according to FootballTtransfers, but over the past few seasons, his value has taken a real hit, following plenty of injury troubles which have kept him off the pitch for prolonged spells.

Chelsea’s top ten player values

Player

Value (£)

Cole Palmer

£95.6m

Moises Caicedo

£66.8m

Enzo Fernández

£61.5m

Nicolas Jackson

£59.4m

Pedro Neto

£51.3m

Christopher Nkunku

£49.1m

Levi Colwill

£45.8m

Roméo Lavia

£44.8m

Noni Madueke

£43.4m

Mykhailo Mudryk

£31.8m

Stats taken from Football Transfers

The Chelsea captain has managed to make ten appearances for the club this season, scoring one goal, providing one assist, contributing to one clean sheet and totalling 556 minutes played.

The 25-year-old has suffered from reoccurring hamstring problems since 2020, missing a total of 131 games since 2019/20, when James was first introduced to the first-team under Frank Lampard.

When James is fully fit, there is no doubt about his quality, with Kyle Walker even labelling him the “complete” player and revealing why he believes James is the best right-back in the world.

However, having only made 168 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals, providing 23 assists and totalling 11,503 minutes, his availability will always remain a concern.

James is now valued at €37.4m (£30.9m) according to Football Transfers, which means he isn’t seen as one of Chelsea’s top ten most valuable players, despite being the highest-paid player at the club, as well as being the club captain.

With Chelsea’s new wage structure aiming to pay players based on their value to the side, James could come under consideration if his injury troubles continue, as to whether the Blues need to focus their resources elsewhere.

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That likely wouldn’t go down well with Chelsea fans, as James is one of the only academy graduates remaining to have successfully come through the system and become a fully fledged first-teamer – yet if his injury woes remain, an upgrade may be needed.

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da prosport bet： And so the cycle continues at Manchester United. With the end of the season on the horizon, the Red Devils will head into the summer window in need of a major overhaul yet again in this grim post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

da cassino： Getting it right on the recruitment front has long been an issue at Old Trafford, even stretching into the glory days under Fergie. Who can forget the 2009 window, in which the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez were replaced by Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan…

A word must also be said for 2013, when new boss David Moyes spent the summer chasing Cesc Fabregas and Gareth Bale – in came Marouane Fellaini. The 2020 window, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is another that requires further scrutiny, with the Norwegian coach handed the likes of Donny van de Beek, Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles and a teenage Facundo Pellistri.

As can be seen above, far too often have the Manchester side made a mess of things with regard to incomings, with INEOS – who may have questions to answer regarding their own business last summer – now left to try and rebuild the squad in Ruben Amorim’s image.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co will no doubt need to cover up the mess of the previous regime, with there seemingly a number of Erik ten Hag signings who need to be shown the door ahead of 2025/26.

How Man Utd's stars compare under Ten Hag & Amorim this season

When Amorim walked in the door back in November, United were languishing in mid-table, albeit with just seven points separating them and the top four, amid a slim but realistic chance of ending the season in the Champions League berths.

As it stands, the 15th-place strugglers are now 13 points behind Chelsea in fifth, having also slipped to ten points adrift of eighth-place Brighton and Hove Albion, ensuring any form of European qualification is likely to rest on Europa League glory.

Those woes lay bare the difficulties that Amorim has faced since replacing Ten Hag in the dugout, with far too many of his side having gone even further off the boil following the change in manager.

Selected players in 2024/25 – Amorim vs Ten Hag

Ten Hag

Games

Goals

Assists

Bruno Fernandes

13

0

5

Amad Diallo

12

1

1

Alejandro Garnacho

14

5

3

Joshua Zirkzee

13

1

2

Rasmus Hojlund

8

2

0

Christian Eriksen

11

4

2

Amorim

Games

Goals

Assists

Bruno Fernandes

23

7

6

Amad Diallo

20

6

5

Alejandro Garnacho

23

1

2

Joshua Zirkzee

23

4

0

Rasmus Hojlund

23

5

1

Christian Eriksen

10

0

1

Stats via Transfermarkt

As indicated in the table above, the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo – prior to his cruel injury blow – have been the major beneficiaries of the Portuguese’s arrival, with the attacking pair having found their shooting boots amid the change in set-up.

On the flip side, Alejandro Garnacho – who was linked with a move to Chelsea in January – has scored just once under the new regime, with questions still to be asked over whether the Argentine truly fits in the 3-4-3 system.

The 20-year-old winger isn’t alone in having suffered of late, with Andre Onana’s strong early-season form having rapidly faded over the past three months or so.

Man Utd's "best player this season" needs to be sold

Prior to Amorim’s arrival – and the meteoric rise of Amad – there was a time in which it looked like Onana was blossoming into becoming United’s key performer, with journalist Steven Railston stating in late November that the Cameroonian had been the club’s “best player this season” at that stage.

Indeed, the former Inter stopper had produced a real highlight reel of saves in the early months of the campaign, even as Ten Hag’s fortunes dwindled, having notably produced stunning double saves away to the likes of Crystal Palace – as shown above – and Porto.

Since Amorim’s appointment, however, things have quickly taken a turn for the worse, with the 28-year-old making a string of costly mistakes across all competitions. After conceding just 17 times in 13 games under Ten Hag, Onana has now conceded 32 goals in just 20 games under Amorim in 2024/25.

Against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford, for instance, the experienced ‘keeper failed to keep out Morgan Gibbs-White’s long-range effort, before both he and Lisandro Martinez watched on as Chris Wood’s header looped in at the back post.

Just days later, Onana’s errant pass out from the back was swiftly punished as Viktoria Plzen took a shock lead away in Czechia, while the new year has seemingly been the same old story, with the one-time Ajax man at fault for Brighton’s third goal after palming the ball into the path of Georginio Rutter.

That was followed by the £120k-per-week star also pushing the ball into the path of James Maddison in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, while he also produced a strange parry into the air for Abdoulaye Doucoure’s header in the 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.

That growing list was then added to in the narrow 3-2 win over Ipswich Town, with Onana – who had raced out of his goal – partially at fault along with Patrick Dorgu for the away side’s opener, having also failed to keep out Jaden Philogene’s curling cross.

With three errors made leading to a goal by United’s number 24 in the Premier League this term, he is now looking back to the player who proved so costly in last season’s Champions League group stage horror show.

As analyst H noted on X, Onana will “never fill the Old Trafford crowd with any sense of confidence”, be it with the ball at his feet or when making a save. As The Overlap’s tactics man also went on to state, such uncertainty and nervousness is “impossible to come back from”.

Most errors leading to a goal – PL goalkeepers

Player

Errors

Arijant Muric

5

Robert Sanchez

5

Bart Vebruggen

4

Andre Onana

3

Alex McCarthy

2

Nick Pope

2

Stats via Premier League

The Manchester Evening News has reported in recent days that the current first-choice is keen to stay put next season, yet with Amorim himself seemingly looking to acquire a new goalkeeper, Onana’s days at Old Trafford should well be numbered.

And so, while the £47.2m signing did show signs of life in the early months of 2024/25, old habits have crept back in since then. INEOS may have other more pressing issues to consider this summer, but seeking out an upgrade in the sticks should certainly remain high on the agenda.

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da jogodeouro： Tottenham Hotspur have now expressed an interest in signing a “prolific” £66m striker, who is also set to be a summer target for Arsenal and a number of other Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

Tottenham eyeing new striker for Ange

da fezbet： Spurs only have two permanent strikers on their books as things stand, namely Dominic Solanke and Richarlison, and the Brazilian has suffered a number of injury setbacks this season, missing the last three Premier League games with a calf issue.

Solanke has been solid, if not spectacular, since moving to north London, bagging 11 goals in all competitions, but the Englishman has also struggled on the injury front, leaving loanee Mathys Tel to lead the line over the past few weeks.

Spurs retain the option to make Tel’s stay permanent in the summer, but they may also decide to pursue a move for another striker, given that Ange Postecoglou has been left short on numbers in attack on a number of occasions this season.

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According to Sky Sports reporter Plettenberg, one target the north Londoners have in mind is RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, with Spurs having expressed an interest in the striker, who has a release clause in his contract that can be activated this summer.

The exact figure will depend on games played, goals and assists, but it is expected to reach €80m (£66m) by the end of the campaign, at which point a whole host of top Premier League clubs could be queuing up for the forward’s signature.

Manchester United, Spurs and Arsenal are all named as potential suitors for the Slovenian, with Manchester City the only top English club not currently in the race.

Sesko's impressive goal record in Austria and Germany

The in-demand striker is still only 21 years old, but he has a great deal of first-team experience through spells with RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig, and he has regularly been among the goals since first establishing himself as a regular starter in the 2021-22 campaign.

Season

League appearances

Goals

2021-22

24

5

2022-23

30

16

2023-24

31

14

2024-25

23

10

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has also lauded the Leipzig star as “prolific”, but his goal-scoring ability isn’t the only facet of his game, having been hailed as “tall, quick and technical” by Sky Sports journalist Adam Bate back in the summer.

The starlet has certainly used his pace and technical ability to his advantage over the past year, ranking in the 85th percentile for successful take-ons per 90, when compared to his positional peers, demonstrating his ability to get in-behind opposition defences.

As such, Sesko could be a fantastic signing for Tottenham, but they may struggle to compete for his signature if they don’t qualify for the Champions League next season, which underlines the need to end their trophy drought by going all the way in the Europa League.

da 888： It’s derby week in Glasgow although, if it’s possible for an Old Firm fixture to ever be inconsequential, now would be the time with Celtic kick offing 16 points clear of their fierce rivals.

da winzada777： With just nine matches still to play, things are a foregone conclusion, knowing a win on Sunday could help Brendan Rodgers’ men rubber stamp the title as soon as 6 April at St Johnstone.

So, preparations are already well underway for next season, with left-back one of the positions Rodgers will be giving the most thought to ahead of the summer with Kieran Tierney looking likely to return.

Kieran Tierney's impending return to Celtic

Prior to the Champions League fixture against Aston Villa in January, Rodgers confirmed that Arsenal full-back Tierney had signed a pre-contract agreement with the club, which will see him return to Glasgow in the summer.

Having initially joined Celtic as a seven-year-old, he made his senior debut against Dundee at Dens Park in 2015, accumulating 170 appearances in hoops, before being sold to Arsenal for a reported fee of £25m in August 2019, still Celtic’s joint-record sale.

Tierney’s time in North London has been blighted by injuries, featuring 133 times for the Gunners, but sitting out a similar number of matches due to numerous injuries.

Nevertheless, Tierney remains a firm fan favourite for all Gooners, with the Scotland international himself saying “from day one the Arsenal fans have shown me so much love.”

This season, after recovering from a severe hamstring tear suffered at the Euros, Tierney has made just nine appearances, totalling 181 minutes, albeit he was recalled to Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad on Tuesday, ahead of the two-legged UEFA Nations League play-off against Greece later this month.

Now, with his contract due to expire in June, the 27-year-old will depart Arsenal in the summer, with Rodgers confirming he will “definitely” be returning to Celtic.

However, upon his return to Parkhead, could he face some serious competition for a starting spot?

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Expand Collapse Celtic's biggest rival for Kieran Tierney

2025 is set to be a year of mass change when it comes to Celtic left-backs, the catalyst being the fact that loanee Álex Valle was recalled by Barcelona in January, before being loaned out to Como, having made 19 appearances for the Bhoys.

This left Greg Taylor as the only left-back option so, on deadline day, Jeffrey Schlupp arrived on loan from Crystal Palace, a move that he himself admitted came out of nowhere.

Nevertheless, the Ghana international has instantaneously usurped Taylor in the pecking order, having self-proclaimed that his stint is ‘exceeding all expectations’ already.

As a result, Rodgers has confirmed he is open to signing Schlupp permanently, with writer Anthony Haggerty urging him to do so, stating that a ‘player of genuine quality doesn’t often come along’.

So, let’s assess how Schlupp and Tierney compare.

Schlupp vs Tierney comparison (22/23-present)

Statistics

Schlupp

Tierney

Appearances

92

86

Minutes

4,798

4,157

Goals

6

1

Assists

6

4

Pass completion %

74.4%

76.8%

Shot-creating actions

79

49

Goal-creating actions

8

8

Progressive carries

57

66

Progressive passes

137

163

% of dribblers tackled

51.4%

66.7%

Interceptions

39

36

Ball recoveries

218

135

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As the table outlines, Schlupp and Tierney’s statistics are very similar, with the Ghanaian predominantly coming out on top in the final third, while the Scottish full-back boasts largely better passing and defensive statistics.

Nevertheless, and this is why such a large sample size in terms of time frame was chosen, Tierney is very injury-prone, so even if he does return with the intention of being the first choice, a more than capable deputy will be required.

Taylor, for his part, appears set to leave Celtic in the summer on a Bosman, with Croatian outlet Sportnet reporting the 27-year-old, who arrived from Kilmarnock as Tierney’s replacement six years ago, has agreed to join GNK Dinamo Zagreb.

Thus, having begun this year with Taylor and Valle as the left-back options, Rodgers appears set to go into the summer with Tierney and Schlupp fighting for that position, assuming the latter joins permanently.

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da apostaganha： Even though Celtic are a whopping 16 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership, supporters worldwide will all be desperate for this side to beat fierce rivals Rangers in Sunday’s Glasgow derby.

da pinup bet： When they most recently met in January, Rangers demolished Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox, a repeat of the scoreline that went the way of the Hoops back in September.

Given that the Gers are without a manager, have lost two of their last three Premiership fixtures and were taken to extra time by Fenerbahçe on Thursday, you have to make Brendan Rodgers’ side overwhelming favourites to dish out some derby day revenge.

However, the home side could be without their most-important player, so does that redress the balance somewhat?

Callum McGregor's importance to Celtic

As reported by Ross Pilcher of the Daily Record, captain Callum McGregor is a doubt ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm due to a ‘calf injury’ suffered towards the end of last weekend’s Scottish Cup victory over Hibs.

The captain admitted he’d not been able to take part in group training this week, reduced to “individual work with the physios”, although he is still optimistic he’ll be available, adding that one always “wants to play in these games.”

However, should McGregor be sidelined, this would be a major blow given that, as noted by Kieran Devlin of the Athletic, he is Celtic’s ‘most important player’ due to his ‘tactical intelligence’, ‘leadership’ and ‘quality’.

If the Bhoys go on to complete the treble this season, the 31-year-old would become the club’s joint-most decorated player of all-time, joining Bobby Lennox with 25 major honours.

He has also become only the 14th player to reach 500 appearances for the club, with manager Rodgers describing him as “the beating heart of the team”.

So, how on earth do you go about replacing someone that important? Well, Celtic might just have the perfect player to fill the void.

Celtic's midfield maestro

As the saying goes, it’s important to always make a good first impression, and Reo Hatate certainly did that after arriving from Kawasaki Frontale for a reported fee of just £1.4m in January 2022.

On his debut against Hibernian, Hatate was named man of the match following a ‘captivating display’, leading to this hilarious clip of him finding out; having been taken off, he asked substitute James Forrest why his name had been announced over the tannoy, before being both pleasantly surprised and pleased to find out.

A week later, he scored a thunderbolt at Tynecastle, before netting twice as Celtic hammered Rangers 3-0 at Parkhead soon after, with Andrew Smith of the Scotsman noting the Japanese midfielder has been ‘central’ to Celtic’s success since his arrival.

Meantime, Declan McConville of Glasgow World labels him ‘exceptional’, former Hibs and Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart believes he is “top-class”, while his manager describes him as an “outstanding player”.

In total, Hatate has now made 133 appearances in hoops, scoring 23 goals and registering 24 assists, predominantly deployed as a number eight, but occasionally filling in deeper, most notably doing so against RB Leipzig in the Champions League when McGregor was nursing a knee injury.

So, let’s assess how the duo compare.

Callum McGregor vs Reo Hatate 2024/25 comparison

Statistics

McGregor

Hatate

Appearances

44

46

Minutes

3,786

3,155

Goals

9

7

Assists

1

5

Pass completion %

94.1%

80.1%

Progressive passes

45

38

Shot-creating actions

13

19

Big chances created

4

13

Touches per 90 (UCL only)

69.7

57.7

% of dribblers tackled

37.5%

58.3%

Interceptions

32

10

Ball recoveries

47

38

% of ground duels won

54.7%

49.9%

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, Sofascore and FBref.com

The table produces some very interesting statistics, highlighting the fundamental similarities, but also the key differences, between McGregor and Hatate.

McGregor dictates the tempo, as noted by Mark Atkinson of the Scotsman, while Hatate operates higher up the park, hence why he’s recorded more assists and created more than three times as many big changes this season.

Nevertheless, the Japanese international compares favourably when it comes to touches per 90, pass completion percentage and defensive metrics, such as tackles, interceptions and, most of all, ball recoveries, underlining that he would be the natural choice to be deployed at the base of midfield, should McGregor be forced to sit out on Sunday’s derby.

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da poker： Arsenal have an important few months ahead as Mikel Arteta looks to shape his squad in the aftermath of a campaign blighted by unfortunate injuries.

Arsenal looking to establish themselves as England's dominant force

da luck： Everyone connected with the Gunners will have designs on the club becoming England’s dominant force in years to come, but they once again look to have fallen short in the Premier League title race.

Mikel Arteta will cite mitigating circumstances due to their lengthy injury list, which has rendered the likes of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus absent from the forward line at a crucial point in the campaign.

Arsenal’s injury list

Kai Havertz

Out for season

Takehiro Tomiyasu

Out for season

Gabriel Jesus

Out for season

Bukayo Saka

Potential April return

Either way, their attacking options simply cannot be allowed to become so threadbare next season. Ethan Nwaneri’s emergence has been a major positive, though further depth is needed to go all the way in 2025/26.

Per reports, Arsenal are set to offer a contract to Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane amid his availability on a free transfer at the end of this term. Arteta is keen to work with the winger in north London after spending time coaching the Germany international while part of the backroom staff at Manchester City.

By the same token, Juventus star Kenan Yildiz is on the Gunners’ radar, and the Serie A giants may be open to selling the Turkey international at around £75.7m.

Transfer speculation at the Emirates is beginning to escalate and supporters are excited over what the summer could hold. Now, their interest may be piqued by recent developments emanating from the club they love involving one of the Premier League’s in-form stars.

Arsenal set to revisit move for Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo

According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are set to revisit a move for Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo this summer after previously running the rule over the Cameroon international in January.

The Bees are reportedly looking to recoup £50m for the in-form star, who is also attracting strong interest from Newcastle United and Manchester United.

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Thriving under Thomas Frank, Mbeumo has registered 15 goals and 6 assists in 33 appearances this season for Brentford, predominantly coming in off the right flank.

Earning recognition for his displays, the former Troyes star has created 52 chances and completed 37 dribbles in the Premier League, regularly posing problems for opposition backlines.

From his own perspective, Bukayo Saka’s impending return from injury would throw up serious competition for a place in Arteta’s starting lineup, though the Gunners will likely need such competition to build the foundations necessary to challenge for the title.

Brentford won’t be in any hurry to let their prized asset leave the Gtech Community Stadium. Nevertheless, the onus is now on Arsenal to put forward a proposal Mbeumo cannot refuse this summer.

da prosport bet： Leeds United are looking to sign a “world-class” goalkeeper to replace Illan Meslier next season, according to a new report.

Leeds pushing for promotion with Meslier struggling

da winzada777： The Whites head into the final eight games of the Championship following the international break top of the table, however, there is still plenty of work to be done if they are to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

Daniel Farke’s side have four home games against Swansea City, Preston North End, Stoke City and Bristol City, and away, Leeds have to travel to Luton Town, Middlesbrough, Oxford United and Plymouth Argyle.

One player who looks set to start all those games is Meslier, who has been backed by Farke all year, despite the Frenchman making some costly mistakes. Talking about the Frenchman’s errors in a 3-3 draw with Hull City at the start of the year, Farke said:

“When the goalkeeper makes one or two mistakes it is natural to talk about changes. We don’t change a goalkeeper quickly like a full-back. There is no rule that a player is not dropped. If a centre-back was to score loads of own goals he would be dropped. But straight after the game I am not going to finger point.”

Goalkeeper (Championship 2024/25)

Club

Goals prevented

1. James Trafford

Burnley

+11.4

2. Viktor Johansson

Stoke City

+10.8

3. Jamie Cumming

Oxford United

+7.8

4. Michael Cooper

Sheffield United

+6.2

18. Illan Meslier

Leeds United

-2.7

Now 25 years of age and out of contact in 2026, Meslier has made more than 200 appearances in a Leeds shirt but his place could be at risk next season.

Leeds looking to sign £25m goalkeeper compared to Pickford

According to Give Me Sport, Leeds will look to sign Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher this summer, should they win promotion.

The Reds goalkeeper is expected to cost around £25m and Leeds are eyeing the Republic of Ireland international ‘due to the uncertainty’ around Meslier.

Compared to Jordan Pickford by FbRef, Kelleher has interest from ‘a host of other clubs’, so it could be tricky for Leeds to seal a deal, even if they do go up.

An ambitious target, Kelleher previously came in for praise from Virgil van Dijk, who claimed the goalkeeper should have got the Player of the Match award following the Reds’ EFL Cup final win over Chelsea in 2024.

“He should have got it. I’m probably one of his biggest fans, I think. I have always said he is world class and he stepped up today, again. It’s good to see. He’s a good boy, good goalkeeper and that’s what we need at a club like Liverpool.”

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A move to Elland Road could be one to watch, but Leeds and Farke have to do the job on the pitch before the 49ers Enterprises can make any sort of moves for players like Kelleher.

da lvbet： Unless a minor miracle occurs between now and the end of May, Ipswich Town are set for an immediate return back down to the Championship after a fleeting one-season adventure in the Premier League.

da pixbet： With nine games left to go in the top-flight campaign, the Suffolk strugglers find themselves nine points off 17th placed Wolverhampton Wanderers, with five defeats from their last six games in the tricky division making for some pretty grim reading.

Whilst the likes of Liam Delap and Leif Davis have proven that they’re Premier League capable for their lowly side, other figures in Kieran McKenna’s camp have struggled for the majority of the season with the gigantic step-up in quality.

The biggest losers from Ipswich's Premier League return

Ipswich would have been well aware from minute one of this campaign that it was going to be an almighty struggle to stay afloat in the top-flight, with the Premier League a different kettle of fish altogether from the Championship.

Still, the likes of Jack Clarke will perhaps be most disappointed with their output. A statement £20m buy from Sunderland, this was the young winger’s opportunity to prove himself at the highest level after having a rough time of it with Spurs in his previous experience of the top-flight.

Sadly, he’s been firing blanks all season long in front of goal, registering four assists in the Premier League and not finding the back of the net.

He’s not the only underperformer in the final third with Conor Chaplin and Sammie Szmodics scoring just six times between them in all competitions.

Moreover, other more senior faces such as Sam Morsy have also struggled centrally, with the 33-year-old notably reckless when gifting Fulham a penalty when the Tractor Boys picked up a draw away at Craven Cottage back in January.

Morsy has also consistently failed to be the brave warrior his team needs him to be to help out in defence, with Ipswich leaking a high 62 goals in league action subsequently.

Of course, the actual defenders aren’t blameless here, with one centre-back in particular failing to live up to the immense hype that surrounded him on his summer arrival.

Chalkboard

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Expand Collapse Ipswich defender belongs in the Championship

The Tractor Boys’ summer transfer policy of poaching the cream of the crop from the second tier certainly had a lot of merit behind it, with pickups such as Championship golden boot winner Szmodics understandably exciting the Portman Road masses.

Likewise, adding in former Hull City titan Jacob Greaves to the ever-expanding group was seen as another statement of intent, with his form at the Tigers prior to the Ipswich switch seeing football writer Alex Osborn label him as “the best centre-back in the Championship.”

The towering 6 foot 1 defender would regularly put his body on the line when pulling on Hull black and orange, leading to Greaves tallying up a mightily impressive 11 clean sheets during the 2023-24 campaign in the Championship, with 7.3 duels won on average per second tier clash also standing out.

Everything was seemingly in place for Greaves to take to the Premier League like a duck to water, therefore, with the 24-year-old even reportedly eyed by Everton before a switch to Suffolk materialised.

Greaves’ league stats at Ipswich in 24/25

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

Greaves

Games played

19

Games missed through injury

9

Goals scored

1

Assists

0

Touches*

57.6

Accurate passes*

39.8 (88%)

Ball recoveries*

2.2

Total duels won*

5.5

Errors leading to goal

2

Clean sheets

2

Stats by Sofascore

But, much like many other faces in McKenna’s camp, Greaves has fallen victim to the pressures of the top-flight, with only two clean sheets picked up from 19 league appearances.

Unfortunately, the £15m buy has also had to wrestle with some injury concerns, with his first taste of Premier League football being a sobering one instead of Greaves going down as an instant success.

Yet, with his knowledge of the second tier clear for all to see, perhaps the former Hull defender just belongs in the second-tier after all. There’s no shame in that.

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da supremo： With Kyle Walker heading for the exit door, Manchester City have reportedly joined the race to sign a Bundesliga talent who could solve Pep Guardiola’s right-back problem.

Walker set to leave Man City

da dobrowin： After spending the second half of the current campaign on loan at Milan, reports have indicated that Walker is expected to leave the Etihad on a permanent basis this summer, even if the Serie A giants decide against triggering their buy option.

The former Man City captain will bow out alongside Kevin De Bruyne as an incredible era of success begins to come to an end under Pep Guardiola.

The veteran right-back will go down as one of the best in his position in Premier League history and earned the praise of Guardiola even as he headed for the exit door in January.

The City boss told reporters back in January when Walker asked to leave the club: “Two days ago Kyle asked to explore the options to play abroad.

“We cannot understand [what] the club did these years without Kyle. It’s impossible. He’s been our right-back, giving us something we didn’t have. But now in his mind, for many reasons, he would like to explore if he can go to another country to play his last years.”

Kyle Walker’s Man City achievements

Times Won (via Transfermarkt)

Premier League

17/18, 18/19, 20/21, 21/22, 22/23, 23/24

UEFA Super Cup

23/24

FA Cup

2019, 2023

League Cup

2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Community Shield

18/19, 19/20

Champions League

22/23

Club World Cup

2024

After a sensational run, all good things must come to an end, and Manchester City must now turn their attention towards solving their right-back problem once and for all this summer.

Guardiola cannot afford to turn towards the likes of Matheus Nunes if he is to take his side back to the top of English football. Instead, he could have the chance to call on one particular Bundesliga talent.

Man City join race to sign Kiliann Sildillia

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City are now racing to sign Kiliann Sildillia from SC Freiburg alongside Premier League rivals Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Just 22 years old, the right-back is reportedly valued at around €16m (£14m) and is likely to be granted a departure from Freiburg when the summer transfer window swings open.

Dubbed a “complete full-back” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig when he was just 20 years old, Sildillia has only improved since then and has deservedly earned the interest of some of the Premier League’s best sides.

With a decision to make, Manchester City will be hoping that the young defender chooses to work with Guardiola like many have in the past and many will likely go on to do.

da realbet： Crystal Palace have now made contact over a move for an “aggressive” defender, who could be available for just £5m, according to a report.

Palace eyeing defender amid Marc Guehi uncertainty

da mrbet： Marc Guehi’s contract is set to expire in the summer of 2026, which means the upcoming transfer window will be Palace’s last chance to cash-in on the defender, and a number of Premier League clubs are in the race for his signature.

Chelsea are determined to win the race for Guehi, although the Blues may face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, who had a £70m bid knocked back in January, while Liverpool have also held talks over a potential deal.

As such, Oliver Glasner is likely to be tasked with bringing in a replacement this summer, and a number of targets have been identified, with IF Elfsborg’s Terry Yegbe recently becoming the latest player to be shortlisted.

Crystal Palace’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Manchester City (a)

April 12th

Newcastle United (a)

April 16th

AFC Bournemouth (h)

April 19th

Arsenal (a)

April 23rd

Nottingham Forest (h)

May 5th

The Eagles are leading the race for Yegbe, while they also hold an interest in Manchester United’s Victor Lindelof, who is set to be available on a free transfer at the end of the season.

As we approach the summer transfer window, Palace are not short on centre-back targets, and a report from Argentina (via The Hard Tackle) has revealed they have now made contact over a deal for Independiente De Avellaneda’s Kevin Lomonaco.

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Lomonaco could be a low-cost addition to Glasner’s squad, given that he is valued at just €6m (£5m), and the south Londoners are keen on securing his signature, although they may face competition.

London rivals West Ham United have also made an approach for the 23-year-old, with the race for his signature starting to heat up ahead of the summer transfer window.

"Aggressive" Lomonaco impressing in Argentina

There are some signs the centre-back could be an exciting acquisition for Palace, given that he has received high praise from an Argentine football expert.

The “aggressive” defender is an imposing figure at a colossal 6 foot 4, which he clearly uses to his advantage in aerial situations, but it is also important that he seems to be good with his feet, which is important for any modern-day centre-back.

It would, of course, be a gamble to sign Lomonaco, given that he is unproven outside Argentina, but at just £5m, it could be a risk worth taking for Palace, who are in need of a replacement for Guehi.