The Arizona Diamondbacks have made another trade as they aim to cash in on the current seller's market ahead of Thursday's Major League Baseball trade deadline.

According to a report from ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan, the D-Backs have agreed on a deal to send outfielder Randal Grichuk to the Kansas City Royals. Right-handed reliever Andrew Hoffman is headed to Arizona in return, according to MLB insider Mark Feinsand.

Grichuk started in right field for the D-Backs Saturday in their game in Pittsburgh against the Pirates before he was pulled after the news. Here's the moment he made his rounds in the dugout after finding out he was traded.

He has slashed .243/.280/.462 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs this season in Arizona. He signed with the D-Backs before the 2024 season after spending time with the Los Angeles Angels, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals.

Hoffman is a 25-year-old pitcher who made his MLB debut this season. He's made three appearances for the Royals, all in relief. In 32 appearances for Triple-A Omaha this year, he has a 2.25 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched.

The D-Backs are all in on acquiring young talent as they work to sell at the deadline. They recently traded first baseman Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners and third baseman Eugenio Suárez remains the best bat on the market.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo conquistou uma grande vitória sobre o Fluminense por 4 a 2, neste domingo (3), pelo Campeonato Carioca. Marlon Freitas (2), Raí e Urso foram os autores dos gols do Alvinegro, enquanto Lelê e John Kennedy marcaram para o Tricolor.

continua após a publicidade

Apesar do resultado, o Time de Guerreiros tem vaga garantida na semifinal do estadual, mas aguarda os jogos de Vasco e Nova Iguaçu para saber qual será seu adversário. Por outro lado, o Glorioso seca o Cruz-Maltino para sonhar com um lugar na fase decisiva do Carioca.

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?

Em uma primeira etapa eletrizante, o Botafogo abriu o placar com apenas dois minutos de jogo com Marlon Freitas aproveitando cruzamento na área e soltando uma bomba de pé canhoto para estufar as redes. O Alvinegro ampliou o marcador com Raí, mas o Fluminense descontou a vantagem do Glorioso com Lelê, que chegou ao sexto gol no Campeonato Carioca.

Apesar de um início morno no segundo tempo, Fluminense e Botafogo promoveram um final eletrizante. Aos 34 minutos, John Kennedy sofreu um pênalti e converteu finalizando de cavadinha contra Gatito Fernández. Mas o Alvinegro respondeu na mesma moeda com André cometendo pênalti sobre Kauê e sendo expulso. Marlon Freitas converteu e deu a vantagem para o Glorioso. Nos acréscimos, Urso recebeu cruzamento da esquerda, ganhou dividida com Marcelo e deu números finais ao duelo.

continua após a publicidade

✅ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

Na quarta-feira (6), o Botafogo recebe o RB Bragantino pelo jogo de ida da terceira fase da Libertadores. Por outro lado, o Fluminense só volta a campo na próxima semana pela semifinal do Campeonato Carioca.

Tudo sobre

BotafogoCampeonato CariocaFluminense

Manchester City’s interest in a “magnificent” young attacking player is real, as they look to add a special talent to their ranks in the January transfer window.

Guardiola wary of Aston Villa threat to Man City

City are back in Premier League action on Sunday afternoon, making the trip to Aston Villa, in what has the potential to be a tricky assignment.

Pep Guardiola is certainly aware of that, telling reporters in his pre-match press conference that improvements are required from recent meetings with Villa.

“They were much, much better than us in the last two fixtures we played at Villa Park. Hopefully it will be different on Sunday. The admiration I have for Unai is so high. He is incredibly consistent, well prepared and so smart, really good. Aston Villa I know they aren’t in the Champions League for a one point. I think in the last nine games they won eight and then just lost the last one at Old Trafford.

“So for me it is a team that is Champions League.“They created a lot of problems for the Champions League winners, PSG so they are well organised, with a lot of quality and they have everything.“It’s one of the toughest, toughest, toughest away games we have in the season.”

Guardiola will also be eyeing new signings, as he looks to ensure his squad never grows stale, and a huge talent has now been linked with a move to the Etihad.

Man City make enquiries for "magnificent" Bundesliga youngster

According to Bundesliga insider Tobias Altschäffl [via Sport Witness], Manchester City’s interest in FC Koln attacker Said El Mana is “certified”.

City have put out feelers for the German, who has been the subject of a £17m bid from Brighton in the past, while Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have also shown interest.

El Mana could be such an eye-catching long-term signing by the Premier League giants, with the left winger scoring three goals in his first eight appearances for Koln, also assisting once.

The teenage ace has been hailed as a “magnificent” prospect by scout Jacek Kulig, and his versatility also allows him to shine on the right flank and in a central attacking midfield role.

Not Doku & Foden: "Extraordinary" Man City gem can make Haaland unstoppable

Pep Guardiola’s “extraordinary” Manchester City talent would make Erling Braut Håland truly unstoppable, and it is not Phil Foden nor Jérémy Doku.

Oct 25, 2025

El Mana wouldn’t be joining City as an immediate starter, given his lack of experience, but he could provide healthy competition for Jeremy Doku, potentially coming in as a direct replacement for Jack Grealish next summer.

انتقد اللاعب التونسي السابق حاتم الطرابلسي، تصرف المدرب الهولندي آرني سلوت، مع النجم المصري محمد صلاح، جناح ليفربول، بعد أزمة التصريحات مؤخرًا.

وقام سلوت باسبتعاد محمد صلاح من قائمة ليفربول للمباراة أمام إنتر ميلان في دوري أبطال أوروبا، والمقرر خوضها غدًا الثلاثاء ضمن مباريات مرحلة الدوري.

وجاء قرار سلوت بعد تصريحات محمد صلاح في أعقاب المواجهة أمام ليدز يونايتد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز التي انتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي (3-3)، حيث أكد اللاعب أنه غير راضٍ على جلوسه بديلاً لـ 3 مباريات متتالية في البريميرليج، واتهم النادي بالتخلي عنه، وأشار لانقطاع علاقته بالمدرب.

وقال حاتم الطرابلسي خلال الستوديو التحليلي بشبكة قنوات “بي إن سبورتس”: “أرى أن ليفربول لم يتعامل مع موضوع محمد صلاح بشكل جيد، نحن نتكلم عن أفضل لاعب محترف داخل نادي ليفربول”.

وأضاف: “بالأرقام.. محمد صلاح نجم الفريق لمواسم عديدة ويجد نفسه علي دكه البدلاء لـ 3 مبارايات متتالية بدون أي تبرير، وإن كان صلاح لا يلعب بشكل جيد فهناك لاعبين عدة لا يلعبون بشكل جيد أيضًا في ليفربول”.

وواصل: “حين نتكلم عن محمد صلاح فهو يستحق أن يكون متواجدًا بشكل أساسي في الفريق، وأنا أرى أن هناك سوء تعامل كبير من المدرب، ليس هكذا تعامل النجوم، أنت تريد تصدير محمد صلاح للجمهور بأنه هو الأسوء في الفريق وأنه هو الذي يصدر المشاكل”.

اقرأ أيضًا | أليسون عن أزمة محمد صلاح: مصلحة ليفربول أولاً.. والقيادة تُثبت بالأفعال لا بالكلام

واستطرد: “اليوم الكل يدافع عن سلوت لأنه أحرز أول لقب في موسمه الأول مع ليفربول لكن كانت نسبة كبيرة في هذا تعود لمحمد صلاح وتألقة في الموسم وتسجيله للأهداف”.

وأكد: “استبعاد محمد صلاح وعدم ذهابه مع الفريق لدوري أبطال أوروبا عيب على المدرب، كان من الممكن حل المشكلة، ويجلس المدرب معه ويقدم له بعد الجزيئات المطلوبة، يجب أن يعامل صلاح باحترام لأن الصحافة والإعلام الأوروبي لا يتعامل مع صلاح باحترام”.

وأتم: “ما قدمه هذا اللاعب في عده مواسم سيعجز أي لاعب آخر عن تحقيقها مع الفريق، من السهل أن تحقق الإنجاز في موسم أو إتنين، لكن صعب جدًا تحقيقه في 7 أو 8 مواسم متتالية”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Uma das prioridades do Palmeiras no mercado desde o fim do ano passado era a chegada de um meia para ser o substituto de Raphael Veiga, e Rômulo foi contratado com esta intenção. Tendo a dupla, além de contar com “titular e reserva”, Abel Ferreira poderá repetir uma fórmula de jogar que fez sucesso, em 2022.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

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

No ano em questão, o Verdão conquistou Paulistão, Recopa Sul-Americana e o Brasileirão. Um dos protagonistas foi Gustavo Scarpa, meia que, teoricamente, disputava posição com Veiga. Porém, na verdade, eles atuaram boa parte da temporada juntos. Na temporada anterior, isso também aconteceu, especialmente na reta final.

Rômulo concede a mesma variação para Abel, pois pode atuar pelos lados além do centro do campo. Assim, o Verdão deixaria de ter apenas atacantes ou alas e acrescentaria a oportunidade de contar com um meia-armador que divide a responsabilidade com Veiga.

continua após a publicidade

— Venho ao Palmeiras para fazer várias posições. Gosto de atuar no meio-campo e na beirada, como ponta também, vindo flutuar por dentro. Eu posso fazer essas situações e agora é adaptação ao estilo de jogo aqui. Estou bem adaptado e entendendo bem – explicou Rômulo, em entrevista de apresentação no novo clube.

Rômulo não enxerga Veiga apenas como um companheiro de time no Palmeiras. Ele também vê o colega como uma referência e contou história curiosa de quando eles se encontraram na primeira rodada do Paulistão, durante confronto entre o Alviverde e o Novorizontino. Àquela altura, o meia ainda não tinha fechado com o Verdão.

continua após a publicidade

— Raphael Veiga é minha referência aqui, sempre está falando comigo. A gente tem tudo para dar certo. (…) Acompanho o Veiga há muito tempo, gosto muito do jogo dele. No meio do jogo, não podia perder a oportunidade de conversar com ele. Pedi a camisa e, depois do jogo, ele me tratou muito bem, me deu boas palavras para continuar trabalhando. Até então não sabíamos de nada, depois de alguns jogos veio a notícia do Palmeiras e estar com ele e os companheiros – disse.

Rômulo ainda não estreou pelo Palmeiras, mas ele e Veiga estão à disposição de Abel para jogar na quinta-feira (11). A equipe enfrenta o Liverpool, do Uruguai, pela segunda rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores.

Tudo sobre

Futebol NacionalPalmeirasRaphael VeigaRômulo

Manchester United have been known over recent years to invest heavily in youngsters who can make an immediate and long-term impact at Old Trafford.

Part of their £800m spending spree in the last four years has seen numerous big-money talents arrive at the club – with Leny Yoro making the move to join the Red Devils last summer.

Despite being just 18, the hierarchy forked out a reported £52m for the teenager’s signature, even fending off competition from Real Madrid for his services.

He’s since become a key component of Ruben Amorim’s first-team squad, already racking up 42 appearances in the last 12 months or so since his big-money transfer.

However, whilst he still has bags of time to reach world-class status, the Frenchman would do very well to hit the heights of one player during his own stint at the Theatre of Dreams.

Man Utd’s best ever young first-team addition

Back in the summer of 2004, eyebrows were raised across England after United paid a staggering £27m for the signature of teenage sensation Wayne Rooney from Everton.

Such a fee was a mammoth investment for an 18-year-old, but over two decades on, it’s clear the transfer is one of the Red Devils’ best in their 146-year history.

He would spend 13 successful years as a star player at Old Trafford, winning countless individual awards along with team success under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson.

The now 40-year-old won England’s Player of the Year award on five separate occasions, even winning the PFA Player of the Year award back in 2009/10 after scoring 34 times in all competitions.

Under the management of Sir Alex, he won five Premier League titles and a Champions League – subsequently making himself one of the most decorated English players of all time.

Individually, he was just as impressive, scoring 253 times for the Red Devils, a tally that ranks him top of the club’s all-time goalscorer charts – sitting ahead of Sir Bobby Charlton.

His talents were also there for all to see at international level, scoring 53 times, a record that saw him top the list for the Three Lions until Harry Kane came along.

Alongside his tangible contributions, Rooney made a name for himself as a warrior on the pitch, with one current player currently possessing a very similar playstyle.

The United player who is becoming the new Rooney

After scoring just 44 times across the 2024/25 campaign, Amorim made it abundantly clear to the United hierarchy that he wanted reinforcements within the final third.

Bryan Mbeumo was just one of the signings made during the off-season, arriving in a staggering £71m transfer from fellow top-flight outfit Brentford.

The Cameroonian international has already made a stellar start to life in Manchester, scoring five times and registering one assist in his first ten outings for the club.

His latest appearance against Brighton and Hove Albion was arguably his best to date, subsequently scoring twice and helping secure the manager’s third Premier League win in a row.

He was also joined at the Red Devils by Matheus Cunha, with the Brazilian also costing a pretty penny at £62.5m including add-ons from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Brazilian international has occupied the number ten role with Mbeumo at Old Trafford and has undoubtedly played a key role in the recent revival under Amorim.

Unlike the Cameroonian, he’s had to wait to make the desired impact, only registering his first goal for the Red Devils in this weekend’s convincing win over Brighton.

However, he’s still received key praise from former first-team member Patrice Evra, who claimed Cunha “has the same raw chaos as Rooney” – certainly high praise indeed.

His underlying stats at Old Trafford showcase the reasoning behind Evra’s comments, with the Brazilian currently creating 1.2 chances per 90 in the Premier League.

Games played

8

Goals & assists

1

Chances created

1.2

Shots on target

1.6

Dribbles completed

1.9

Possession won in final third

0.7

Fouls won

2.4

Ball recoveries

4.3

Other figures, such as 1.6 shots on target per 90 and 1.9 dribbles per 90, showcase his ability within the final third, which has already seen the forward become a fan-favourite.

However, his chaos without the ball is reflected in his tally of 0.7 ball regains per 90 in the final third – a tally which ranks him in the top 25% of all attackers in the division.

It’s certainly early days in his career at Old Trafford, but the signs are all positive for Cunha to become an influential figure in any success endured in the years ahead.

Should he continue on his current path, there’s no reason why he can’t have a similar impact to Rooney during his own period at the Theatre of Dreams.

Forget Cunha & Mbuemo: Man Utd star was the shining light against Brighton

Manchester United secured their third win in a row against Brighton & Hove Albion last night.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 26, 2025

Former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy made a few high-profile mistakes during his near-25-year reign, with Spurs now tipped to try and rectify one of them.

Tottenham ushering in new era after Daniel Levy exit

Since Levy’s departure, which left high-ranking football executives “stunned”, the Lilywhites have made a few major announcements as the Lewis family attempt to usher in a new era at N17.

Peter Charrington has stepped in as the club’s new non-executive chairman, with ex-Arsenal chief and CEO Vinai Venkatesham now taking a more prominent role in the day-to-day running of Spurs alongside members of the Lewis family.

Earlier this month, the north Londoners made a serious statement of intent — announcing a £100 million injection of fresh capital via ENIC after rejecting three separate takeover approaches from ex-Newcastle United shareholder Amanda Staveley’s PCP International Finance Limited, a consortium through Firehawk Holdings Limited and American tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick.

Soon afterward, Tottenham also confirmed the return of transfer chief Fabio Paratici, who will work alongside Johan Lange in a co-sporting director role.

Paratici will essentially be the ‘dealmaker’, responsible for getting high-profile signings over the line, while Lange is tasked with overseeing their data-driven recruitment strategy and scouting (Sky Sports).

The announcements are coming thick and fast on a regular basis, with Spurs also confirming the imminent arrival of Dan Lewindon as the club’s new Performance Director — once he serves a notice period after departing the City Group.

This major reshuffle of the board follows a long Levy era which attracted very mixed reviews.

While the 63-year-old oversaw Tottenham’s move to their brand-new, state-of-the-art stadium — helping to transform them into one of world football’s highest revenue-generating clubs — Spurs’ lack of major silverware and reputation for frugal spending were a key theme of the complaints surrounding Levy’s tenure.

While Levy played a key role in recruiting Tottenham icons like Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart, Luka Modrić, Christian Eriksen, Moussa Dembélé, he also brought in the likes of Roberto Soldado, Vincent Janssen and more as some of their worst signings of the last two decades.

As the seasons go on, his punt on Argentine striker Alejo Veliz looks like a major miss as well.

Alejo Veliz expected to never play for Tottenham again

Levy bought the forward from Rosario Central for around £13 million just over two years ago, in a quick-fire double deal with Micky van de Ven, but while the latter has gone on to become a revelation, the same cannot be said for Veliz.

The 22-year-old has made just eight appearances for Tottenham, scoring his first and only goal against Brighton in the Premier League in 2023.

He’s since been sent out on loan to Sevilla, Espanyol and back to Rosario, with pundit John Wenham convinced that Veliz will never play for Spurs again after a series of underwhelming spells abroad.

The South American, who scored 24 goals in 75 senior appearances for Rosario before joining Spurs, now finds himself at a crossroads despite previously being tipped for greatness in north London.

Veliz, praised for his “incredible” ability in the air, was also called an “exciting” player to watch out for by Spanish football experts.

Now, with Tottenham reportedly in the market for a new striker, the likelihood of Veliz coming good is becoming increasingly slim.

As the Red Sox eye a postseason berth, one of their top offensive contributors is headed to the injured list.

Boston is putting outfielder and designated hitter Roman Anthony on the injured list with an oblique strain, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters Wednesday.

Anthony, 21, is in his rookie year with Boston. He's slashing .292/.396/.463 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs in 71 games; his 3.1 bWAR would extrapolate to 7.0 over a full season. His performance has helped earn him an eight-year contract extension that could be worth as much as $230 million.

The Red Sox have thrived with Anthony in the lineup, and currently hold the American League's second wild-card playoff spot. They're just 2.5 games back of the Blue Jays for first place in the East Division.

Boston is scheduled to finish a three-game series against the Guardians Wednesday before heading west to meet the Diamondbacks.

For the first time in quite a while, there are reasons for West Ham United fans to be optimistic.

Nuno Espírito Santo appears to have found a system that not only gets the best out of his players but has already delivered two Premier League wins in a row.

Moreover, some of the stars who were looking a little lacklustre earlier in the season are now starting to pick up some form.

One of those is Lucas Paqueta, although there is a former West Ham player sold by former Sporting Director Tim Steidten who is still outperforming the Brazilian.

The latest on Lucas Paqueta

It would be fair to say that last season was not Paqueta’s finest for West Ham.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

After all, in 36 appearances across all competitions, the former Lyon star was only able to chalk up a rather underwhelming tally of five goals and no assists.

It looked like it would be much of the same for a period at the start of this season, as aside from a thunderous effort against Chelsea and a penalty against Nottingham Forest, the 28-year-old looked like he was simply coasting through games.

Then, just to make the situation worse, stories emerged of him wanting to leave the club as soon as the winter window.

However, the Paqueta-born dynamo quickly responded by posting a picture of himself and his family at the London Stadium, which, given the timing, certainly felt like a statement.

With all that said, this could still be his last season, with transfers expert Fabrizio Romano making it clear that a departure in the summer is still very much on the cards.

If this really is to be his last season in Claret and Blue, at least the mercurial midfielder is starting to show his best again, scoring a goal against Newcastle United and playing well against Burnley last week.

Yet, even with this uptick, Paqueta is being outperformed by another midfielder sold by West Ham last year.

The former West Ham star outperforming Paqueta

There has been plenty of player churn at West Ham in recent years, but one of the most talented to leave was undoubtedly Pablo Fornals.

The 29-year-old joined the Hammers from Villarreal in the summer of 2019, and over the following four and a half years made 203 appearances, in which he scored 23 goals, provided 19 assists and won the Conference League.

However, by the 23/24 season, he was more of a bit-part player, and so when Real Betis came knocking in the January window, the Hammers were happy to let him leave for around £6.8m.

Since then, the Spaniard has already made 69 appearances for the Seville outfit and even started in the Conference League Final against Chelsea last year.

However, this season has been his best in a very long time, to the extent that he’s been called up to the Spanish national team for the first time in four years.

It’s a thoroughly deserved call-up, as in 16 appearances, totalling 1131 minutes this season, he has scored twice and provided four assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.66 games, or every 188.5 minutes.

For comparison’s sake, Paqueta’s tally of four goals in 12 appearances, totalling 1051 minutes, comes out to a worse average of a goal involvement every three games, or every 262.75 minutes.

The comparison is even more weighted in the Spaniard’s favour when examining their underlying numbers.

For example, the “unbelievable” midfielder, as dubbed by journalist Karl Matchett, comes out on top in most crucial metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, passing accuracy, key passes and shot-creating actions.

Overall, while he might not be as good a player as Paqueta, Fornals is certainly outperforming him this season, and is someone Nuno would surely love to have in his squad.

Better than Potts: West Ham must rue losing "the best academy player in Europe"

The former West Ham academy gem is going to be a bigger star than Freddie Potts.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 13, 2025

Are Chelsea outside challengers for the Premier League title this season?

Based on the weekend’s results, they are, as Enzo Maresca’s Blues comfortably got the better of Burnley 2-0 on the road to remain second spot in the early league standings, while Liverpool and Manchester City fell to unwanted defeats.

Maresca’s men managed to pick up that routine win, even with Moises Caicedo out of the starting lineup at Turf Moor, as Chelsea’s standout £115m midfielder was rested after a gruelling international break with Ecuador.

Thankfully, the defensive midfield partnership that did start in Lancashire in Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos rose to the occasion, with Santos stealing many of the plaudits at the full-time whistle, despite Fernandez’s late strike sealing all three points.

Santos' standout performance vs Burnley

Fernandez rightfully received plenty of praise at the final whistle, with the World Cup winner now up to 11 goals and ten assists in 2025 for the Blues as a forward-thinking midfield spark.

But, with Caicedo out of the starting XI, Chelsea also needed a talent prepared to dig deep and do the required defensive work that the South American does week in week out, with the 24-year-old averaging 5.2 ball recoveries and winning 5.4 duels per Premier League contest this season, away from also chipping in with three goals and an assist.

Thankfully, Santos stepped up into his role effortlessly against Scott Parker’s hosts, with two tackles won, seven duels won, and four ball recoveries amassed, showing off the 21-year-old’s full-blooded approach.

On top of that, Santos also ended the game with one big chance created from his 34 accurate passes, with analyst Raj Chohan even stating that he provides a “lot of value” to the team as a stellar stand-in option for the likes of Caicedo.

The promising number 17 will hope he can get more first-team minutes soon, away from being in the shadow of the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion man.

But, he isn’t the only midfield asset being directly compared to Caicedo now.

Chelsea's next Caicedo

It’s clear that Chelsea have great faith in the youngsters rising the ranks at Stamford Bridge currently, with Maresca prepared to start a whole plethora of exciting, young talents, away from just throwing Santos into the first-team spotlight.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Indeed, in attack, Estevao has been handed chances galore this season to impress, with a Premier League goal and assist coming the hotly tipped Brazilian’s way subsequently.

Moreover, Marc Guiu would gift Fernandez his goal at Turf Moor on a plate, with the 19-year-old now becoming a regular impact player off the bench. Could Dario Essugo be the next starlet to make a wild impression?

Already, the £18.5m summer purchase – despite only being 20 years of age – has shone in some challenging environments for two loan sides in Chaves and Las Palmas in Liga Portugal and La Liga respectively.

His attritional, yet polished displays, have even led to scout Jacek Kulig hailing the Portuguese enforcer as a “one-man army.”

Moreover, Kulig also boldly labelled Essugo as “one of the most exciting DMs in Europe” for his continued excellence with Las Palmas, even as they succumbed to relegation.

In the current Chelsea set-up, based on his numbers last season in that relegation-troubled camp, he would surely shine as bright as Caicedo has managed in West London.

Games played

18

27

Goals scored

0

1

Assists

0

0

Touches*

40.8

48.4

Accurate passes*

24.5 (85%)

30.0 (86%)

Tackles*

1.7

2.2

Ball recoveries*

4.2

4.4

Clearances*

1.7

1.6

Total duels won*

5.3

4.9

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that Essugo will be prepared to battle and tussle for Chelsea when first-team chances eventually arrive at his door, winning 4.9 duels per game last season in La Liga action, not a million miles off Caicedo’s 5.4 tally this campaign back in England.

Unfortunately, the only drawback for Essugo so far is that he is sidelined with a nasty injury at the moment, but he did shine briefly in Caicedo’s place against AC Milan in pre-season, with 100% of his ground duels won from just 17 minutes of action.

Thankfully, Maresca has Santos to fall back on in defensive midfield for the time being, if Caicedo continues to look fatigued.

But, do not rule out Essugo exploding onto the scene when he returns from the treatment room, with Chelsea’s midfield options full to the brim with quality.

Shades of Kante: 8/10 Chelsea man had his "best performance" yet vs Burnley

As Chelsea beat Burnley 2-0 in the Premier League at Turf Moor, which player put in their “best performance” for the club, looking N’Golo Kanté-esque?

Nov 22, 2025