Sonia Bompastor revealed the half-time team talk that inspired Chelsea's comeback win over Real Madrid in the Women's Champions League.
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Chelsea beat Real Madrid 2-1
Won all six of their Women's Champions League group games
Bompastor revealed team talk that inspired Chelsea's comeback
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Blue staged a remarkable comeback in the second half as they beat Real Madrid 2-1 to maintain their 100 percent win record in the Women's Champions League group stage and qualify for the round of 16 in first place. Caroline Weir broke the deadlock for the hosts in the seventh minute of the game as they carried a one-goal lead into half-time. Catarina Macario then converted two penalties in a span of five minutes after the break to seal a win for her team.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite extending their winning streak in Europe, manager Bompastor claimed that she was not happy with the performance of the team in the first 45 minutes and revealed what pep talk she used to inspire her players to stage the comeback.
WHAT SONIA BOMPASOR SAID
Speaking to reporters, the French coach said: "I was not happy at half-time. I said: 'We need to be on the same page, we only have 45 minutes to achieve our goal and after you will be on your vacation so just give everything you have'."
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WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?
The reigning Women's Super League champions will now enjoy a well-earned holiday over the winter break and will be back in action on January 12 when they face Charlton in a Women's FA Cup fourth-round clash.
Tottenham Hotspur have been offered the chance to sign one club's 2024 Player of the Year, amid their advanced talks over a deal for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke.
Tottenham now in advanced talks to sign Solanke from Bournemouth
This morning, a flurry of reports from reliable media sources shared news that Spurs are now in advanced talks to sign Solanke, with manager Ange Postecoglou now closing in on his desired striker signing.
Fabrizio Romano says Tottenham are eyeing £12 million ace alongside Solanke
The Lilywhites are looking to shore up more key positions.
ByEmilio Galantini Aug 8, 2024
Alasdair Gold of football.london claims the 26-year-old, who scored 21 goals in all competitions for Bournemouth last season, has shown a "big desire" to play for the club and this will be a real plus-point for Postecoglou.
David Ornstein, meanwhile, echoes Gold's claim by stating that Solanke is "desperate" to finalise a move to north London, with talks ongoing as Bournemouth agree to sell their talisman for a club-record fee.
Solanke's contract contains a £65 million release clause which is only valid for the Premier League top six, and according to GiveMeSport reporter Ben Jacobs, the Cherries are determined to hold for a fee as close to that figure as possible.
If talks fall through for the Englishman, it is believed Brentford striker Ivan Toney is seen as a concrete alternative Spurs option to Solanke.
Player
Goals scored
Son Heung min
17
Richarlison
12
Dejan Kulusevski
8
Brennan Johnson
5
Cristian Romero
5
James Maddison
4
"Tottenham now in advanced talks with Bournemouth over a club-record move for Dominic Solanke," wrote Jacobs on X.
"Solanke has a £65m release clause in his contract and Bournemouth determined to hold out for as close to that figure as possible. Spurs hopeful of coming to an agreement with negotiations ongoing. As @talkSPORT reported on Thursday, Tottenham also have a concrete interest in Brentford's Ivan Toney should a deal for Solanke not be finalised."
With Solanke very keen on the move, it will be totally down to the clubs to find middle ground in negotiations. Meanwhile, reliable Tottenham insider Paul O'Keefe has claimed that the Lilywhites have been approached about signing another player amid these talks.
Tottenham offered Celtic's 2024 Player of the Year Matt O'Riley
Celtic star Matt O'Riley, who scored 18 goals and registered 13 assists in 37 SPFL starts for the eventual Scottish champions last season, also bagged their 2024 Player of the Year award.
Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley.
The Hoops value him at around £25 million, according to reports, and it is believed his camp are trying to get him a move down south. O'Keefe writes this week that Tottenham have been offered the chance to sign O'Riley from Celtic by intermediaries, but as things stand, they're unlikely to take the bait.
Called "top-class" and a joy to watch by Rangers legend Kris Boyd, the Denmark international is attracting serious interest from Brighton, who have apparently opened talks (Daily Mail), so there could be an alternative Premier League landing spot for O'Riley.
No encontro que serviu como ‘esquenta’ para a final da Copa Sul-Americana, o Red Bull Bragantino foi derrotado pelo Athletico, no Nabi Abi Chedid.
+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada
O resultado, que pegou o torcedor do Massa Bruta de surpresa, serviu como lição para o técnico Mauricio Barbieri, que promete um time bem diferente na decisão continental.
‘A ideia é que a gente possa usar esse jogo como aprendizado para o dia 20 de novembro. Se os erros tivessem que acontecer, que acontecessem agora. Vamos aprender com eles e no dia 20 a gente vai ser uma equipe muito mais preparada e mais forte do que foi hoje’, disse o treinador.
Bragantino e Athletico se enfrentam pela decisão da Copa Sul-Americana, no dia 20 de novembro, no Estádio Centenário, em Montevidéu.
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The Three Lions avenged their defeat at Wembley and took control of the group with an accomplished performance in Athens
Ollie Watkins grabbed his opportunity to show he can compete with Harry Kane by firing England towards a 3-0 win over Greece which reasserted their authority in their UEFA Nations League group, putting them in pole position to win promotion.
Interim coach Lee Carsley did what Gareth Southgate was too afraid to do during Euro 2024 and dropped the captain for the Aston Villa striker, who put England in front in Athens in the seventh minute with a tap-in set up by the thrusting Noni Madueke.
Jordan Pickford had to be at the top of his game to keep the hosts at bay before Jude Bellingham, who had sparked the first goal with a wonderful reverse pass, made sure of the victory. The Real Madrid midfielder fired a shot which cannoned off the post and was knocked over the line by the heel of the hapless Greek goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.
The Three Lions turned a good victory into a great one when Curtis Jones scored the third with a cheeky backheel. The late strikes took England above Greece in League B, Group 2 on goal difference and victory against Ireland on Sunday will seal their promotion back to the top tier without having to go through a play-off.
GOAL rates England's players from the Olympic Stadium…
Goalkeeper & Defence
Jordan Pickford (9/10):
Inspirational. Thwarted Kostas Tsimikas then Fotis Ioannidis when goals looked certain. Also proactive with his kicking and punching.
Kyle Walker (5/10):
Looked vulnerable in the first half, especially when beaten by Tsimikas. Looked nervous in possession but better when asked to slot in at centre-back after the break.
Marc Guehi (7/10):
Another fine display from England's most reliable defender.
Ezri Konsa (6/10):
Immaculate with the ball but appeared to hobble off at half-time and didn't come back out.
Rico Lewis (6/10):
Played a fine pass to Watkins which deserved a better touch. Switched to right-back in the second half and had to dig deep in defence before contributing to the two late goals.
AdvertisementMidfield
Conor Gallagher (6/10):
A typically hard-working performance although he played with fire when he continued to fly into tackles when booked.
Curtis Jones (8/10):
A dream international debut. Sat just in front of the defence, his measured passing giving England control for much of the game. Then added the icing on the cake with an audacious finish.
Jude Bellingham (8/10):
Back to his talismanic best. Played a lovely reverse pass to Madueke, bossed the midfield, hit the post with a header and then sealed the win. Booked for arguing with the referee.
Attack
Noni Madueke (8/10):
Dazzled the hosts down the right, setting up Watkins' goal and linking up well with Bellingham.
Ollie Watkins (6/10):
Justified Carsley's faith in him by scoring although a sloppy touch ruined a promising move just before the break.
Anthony Gordon (5/10):
Couldn't have the desired impact, huffing and puffing but creating little genuine danger.
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Subs & Manager
Lewis Hall (6/10):
A decent debut. Demonstrated his pace although didn't get too involved in the attacking play.
Harry Kane (5/10):
Looked isolated when he replaced Watkins.
Morgan Rogers (6/10):
A reasonable debut from the bench.
Jarrod Bowen (6/10):
Played his part in the late goals.
Morgan Gibbs-White (7/10):
Set up Jones' delicious goal.
Lee Carsley (7/10):
Picked a courageous starting XI and was vindicated.
Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared some transfer news out of Chelsea, with one club's mainstay now agreeing to join Enzo Maresca's side.
Chelsea enjoy busy summer window with more signings expected
So far this summer, Chelsea have invested significantly in the signings of Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham), Omari Kellyman (Aston Villa), Renato Veiga (FC Basel), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City), Marc Guiu (Barcelona), Estevao Willian (Palmeiras) and Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United).
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The west Londoners are very keen.
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Defender Aaron Anselmino is set to join Chelsea for around £17 million as well, taking their summer spending to nearly £120 million, but only two of the aforementioned players in Tosin and Dewsbury-Hall stand out as senior additions to Maresca's squad.
In similar fashion to previous windows, Todd Boehly and BlueCo haven't been afraid to spend on rising stars for the future, but weeks are remaining for the west Londoners to secure a few more key senior arrivals.
Chelsea's best-performing players in the Premier League last season
Average match rating (WhoScored)
Cole Palmer
7.48
Conor Gallagher
7.13
Nicolas Jackson
7.07
Moises Caicedo
6.85
Noni Madueke
6.84
Chelsea have balanced their books through player sales totalling around £89 million, and many more names like Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah have been tipped for the exit door as well.
It appears to be a summer of one in, one out at Stamford Bridge with PSR concerns lingering in the background. Maresca has made it clear he wants a new striker at Chelsea to partner Nicolas Jackson, and it is believed the Italian has set his sights on a new goalkeeper, so there is still work to do before deadline day on August 30.
New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca
The Blues currently have Robert Sanchez, Djordje Petrovic, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcus Bettinelli and Lucas Bergstrom on their books in the goalkeeping department, but Petrovic could be sold by Chelsea to make room, as could out-of-favour shot-stopper Kepa.
Villarreal number one Filip Jorgensen has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League side as Maresca chases a new keeper, with Romano sharing news on their pursuit of the Dane this week.
Jorgensen reaches agreement to join Chelsea via his representatives
Chelsea submitted their opening bid for Villarreal's 6 foot 3 mainstay, believed to be in the region of £17 million, with the player also keen on making a move to England.
Following up on this news, Romano has shared that Jorgensen has agreed personal terms to join Chelsea through his representatives, and Maresca's side have a long-term contract at the ready for him.
"Chelsea have reached an agreement with Filip’s camp on personal terms, long term contract ready," wrote Romano.
"After OM asking for him, Chelsea want to be fast for Danish GK. Jørgensen has also started following Chelsea on Instagram."
The 22-year-old started 36 La Liga games for Villarreal last season, making an impression between the sticks, and his age suggests that Jorgensen has many years remaining at the very top level.
Nesta terça-feira, David Luizrealizou o primeiro treino com bola no Ninho do Urubu. O zagueiro do Flamengo, inclusive, iniciou os treinamentos na última segunda-feira, masfez apenas avaliações físicas na parte interna e no campo.
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>Entenda como Michael foi essencial para as três vitórias seguidas do Fla
David Luiz, inclusive, já está regularizado pelo Flamengo. Nesta terça-feira, o contrato foi do jogador foi inscrito no Boletim Informativo Diário (BID) da CBF, e, assim, o zagueiro deu mais um passo rumo a sua estreia pelo Rubro-Negro.
Vale destacar que apesar de não disputar uma partida oficial desde maio, David Luiz manteve uma rotina de treinamentos e se apresentou em boas condições ao Flamengo. A tendência é que, já em setembro, passe a ficar a serviço de Renato Gaúcho.
> Veja as chaves das quartas de final da Copa do Brasil
No treino desta tarde, o Flamengo encerrou a preparação para enfrentar o Grêmio, pelo jogo da volta das quartas de final da Copa Brasil. Como o Rubro-Negro venceu a primeira partida, em Porto Alegre, por 4 a 0, pode perder por até três gols de diferença que avançará na competição. O confronto acontece nesta quarta-feira, às 21h30, no Maracanã.
Leeds United have enjoyed, or endured depending on how you want to look at it, a relatively quiet start to the summer transfer window, which has been open for almost a month.
The Whites have only had one major player move on from Elland Road following their failure to secure an instant return to the Premier League, with Archie Gray leaving to join Tottenham Hotspur on a permanent deal.
That move did, however, see central defender Joe Rodon join the club on a permanent basis after his loan spell in West Yorkshire during the 2023/24 campaign.
The Welsh titan has been the only addition of the window so far and it remains to be seen how busy the club wants to be in the market before it slams shut at the end of August.
Daniel Farke could want to make further signings to bolster his squad and ensure that his team is prepared enough to make another push to secure promotion out of the Championship next season.
There could be further movement in the centre-back position ahead of the 2024/25 campaign as players, who would need to be replaced, could be moving on from Elland Road.
Change on the horizon for Leeds
Firstly, Liam Cooper is currently a free agent after his contract with the club expired at the end of last month and it remains to be seen if he will put pen to paper on an extension.
TEAMtalk recently reported that he is likely to move on from West Yorkshire after almost ten years of service but nothing has been officially confirmed or taken off the table for the Scotland international, so his situation is one to monitor for now.
One centre-back who also looks set to move on from the Whites is England U21 international Charlie Cresswell, amid links with a switch to France.
Former Millwall loanee Charlie Cresswell.
The BBC recently claimed that the right-footed colossus is set to complete a transfer to Ligue 1 outfit Toulouse after the two sides agreed a £3.8m deal.
Cresswell had failed to agree personal terms with the French side in a previous trip to discuss a contract but is now set to return to France and finally complete his exit from Leeds.
Why Leeds are right to cash in on Charlie Cresswell
Whilst supporters may look at the club cashing in on a 21-year-old England youth international as a big blow, as he is a young player with potential, it could be the right move for all parties involved.
Firstly, Cresswell is not going to fulfill his potential and develop at an impressive rate if he is stuck behind Rodon in the pecking order, as shown by his measly five appearances in the Championship last term.
Charlie Cresswell for Leeds United.
The English titan may want to be playing week-in-week-out to gain valuable experience and Leeds are not able to offer that, which is one reason why a transfer makes sense.
His performances for Millwall on loan during the 2022/23 campaign may also provide an insight into why Cresswell does not figure in Farke's long-term plans at Elland Road.
Appearances
28
Pass accuracy
71%
Pass accuracy in opposition half
55%
Long ball accuracy
41%
Error led to goal
2
As you can see in the table above, the young defender struggled with playing out from the back as his pass accuracy left a lot to be desired and he made two errors that directly led to goals with his distribution.
Whereas, Rodon, for example, completed 91% of his attempted passes and 84% in the opposition half without making a single error that led to a shot or goal for the opponents last season for Leeds.
Cresswell, therefore, may have been deemed not good enough in possession to suit Farke's ball-dominant Whites side, and the German head coach could brilliantly replace the Englishman by securing a deal for reported target Jordan Torunarigha.
Why Leeds should sign Jordan Torunarigha
Leeds were linked with an interest in the Gent star earlier this summer but they may have to move quickly to get a deal done now amid competition from elsewhere.
German reporter Florian Plettenberg recently reported that German side Stuttgart are interested in a swoop for the Nigeria international and have already opened talks with the Belgian outfit.
The journalist added that it could take a fee of up to €5m (£4.2m) to secure an agreement for the central defender, who has one year left on his contract.
Farke could brilliantly replace Cresswell by signing the 26-year-old brute ahead of Stuttgart this summer, as he is a dominant and progressive defender.
Firstly, Torunarigha won 57% of his duels and made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game across 30 outings in the Pro League last season, whilst Cresswell won 60% of his battles and made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per match in the Championship for Millwall.
This suggests that there is not much to separate what they do out of possession, but it is on the ball where the progressive Gent star could come in as a far better option for Farke's style of play.
Shot-creating actions (per 90)
1.22
1.00
Progressive passes (per 90)
4.79
3.23
Progressive carries (per 90)
1.42
0.60
Pass accuracy
85%
71%
Pass accuracy in opposition half
71%
55%
Error led to goal
0
2
As you can see in the table above, the Nigeria international has the quality to offer considerably more to Leeds in possession than the Englishman.
He is a progressive centre-back who constantly looks to play forward with the ball without making many mistakes, whether that be errors that lead to shots or goals, or consistently giving passes back to the opposition.
His far superior pass accuracy combined with his impressive progressive statistics indicate that he is far more suited to the manager's dominant, front-footed, style of play, which is why Torunarigha could be a brilliant replacement for Cresswell.
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Being a left-footed player also means that the Gent titan could fill in on the left side of the defence and play out naturally on his favoured side, which means that he could replace Cooper as well as the England U21 international.
رفض إبراهيما كوناتي، مدافع فريق ليفربول، نبرة “الشماتة” لدى بعض جماهير النادي الإنجليزي تجاه نجم آرسنال بوكايو ساكا، بعد مباراة كريستال بالاس.
وواجه آرسنال خصمه كريستال بالاس، في الجولة السابعة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث فاز الجانرز بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدف.
وشهدت المباراة تعرض بوكايو ساكا، لإصابة يبدو أنها ستبعده عن الملاعب لفترة من الوقت، حسب تصريحات المدرب ميكيل أرتيتا (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).
من جهة أخرى، أبدى أحد مشجعي ليفربول نبرة “شماتة” من إصابة ساكا، كرد على نفس المشاعر التي انتابت أحد الداعمين لـ آرسنال، عقب إصابة إبراهيما كوناتي الشهر الماضي.
وعانى إبراهيما كوناتي من إصابة في مباراة ليفربول وريال مدريد، في دوري أبطال أوروبا، الشهر الماضي، وأبعدته عن الملاعب منذ ذلك الوقت.
وكتب أحد مشجعي آرسنال آنذاك: “بغض النظر عن المنافسة، أتمنى أن تكون إصابة كوناتي خطيرة”.
ولم ينس مشجع لـ ليفربول تلك التغريدة، حيث أعاد نشرها بعد إصابة بوكايو ساكا، ساخرًا مما حدث، مستخدمًا جملة شهيرة توحي معناها بأن الجزاء من جنس العمل.
ولكن ذلك لم ينل إعجاب إبراهيما كوناتي، الذي كتب: “نحن لسنا مثلهم، لا نريد أي ضرر، على أي حال ثلاث نقاط كبيرة اليوم إن شاء الله”.
We are not like them… 👀, we wish no harm❤️🤲🏽 anyway In Sha Allah big 3 pts today 👊🏽❤️ — Ibrahima Konate (@IbrahimaKonate_) December 22, 2024
ويخوض ليفربول مباراة قوية ضد توتنهام، مساء اليوم، في قمة منافسات الجولة السابعة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، على ملعب الخصم.
Against all expectation, the Blues have laid the foundations for a successful season with a strong start to the campaign
Six weeks into the new season and much of the negativity around Chelsea has already faded away. Despite another bewildering transfer window under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership, new head coach Enzo Maresca already seems to have pieced together a competent team who are buying into his ideas.
Unbeaten since a predictable opening-day defeat to champions Manchester City, the Blues are just two points off second place with five games played, and the nature of the 3-0 dismantling of West Ham last time out suggests Maresca might just be cooking up something special at Stamford Bridge.
No-one expected such a swift adaptation to the Italian's tactics, especially after the summer's raft of new attacking arrivals, but things like they're starting to click – but what is behind their strong start, and is it too early to judge?
AFP
Defined style shining through
In the early stages of this latest iteration of Chelsea's long-term project, the victory over West Ham perhaps offered the most compelling evidence yet of Maresca's tactical influence.
It was a performance that boasted all hallmarks of the Italian's style and philosophy, which are some of the main reasons he was brought on board; Chelsea built up patiently from the back with neat passing patterns and controlled the game from the outset with a foundation of defensive solidity.
Nicolas Jackson's second goal of the game was an excellent example, as the Blues calmly moved the ball from back to front via the middle of the park – with Marc Cucurella inverted as an auxiliary defensive midfielder – before West Ham's defence was sprung by an exquisite through ball from Moises Caicedo.
Granted, the Hammers were nowhere near their best and this was arguably the first time that things have properly clicked for Maresca and Chelsea despite some positive results elsewhere, but these were still hugely positive signs and, supporters will hope, just a taste of things to come.
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Getty Images Sport
Rock-solid defence
A new, formidable centre-back partnership has quietly been formed at Stamford Bridge, providing the solidity that Chelsea's controlled displays have been built upon – another reason Maresca was hired.
Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana have caught the eye in the heart of defence following the latter's return from injury, with the former particularly impressive – ranking among the best centre-backs aged 21 or under in Europe's top five leagues so far this season in metrics such as progressive passing, interceptions and aerial duels.
Chelsea certainly needed some improvement in the defensive department, having conceded a club-record 63 times in the league in 2023-24, and having a settled, regular pair of central defenders following Thiago Silva's exit should certainly help.
Speaking about his partnership with Fofana, Colwill told recently: "We help each other a lot, we balance well. He's very aggressive, I like to be the sweeper, the calm one, and try and organise things. I love playing with him and I think he helps me out a lot, makes me look like a better player and hopefully I do the same for him. At times we're going to have to defend as a team."
Getty Images
A striker in form
Things are always that bit easier when you have a striker who is oozing confidence, and Chelsea's strong start has been powered in no small part by Jackson's goals.
The Senegal international has repaid the faith shown in him in the summer as the club stuck with him rather than splurging on the likes of Victor Osimhen, Jhon Duran or Samu Omorodion, continuing his fine form from the end of last season into the new campaign.
Jackson is answering his (many) critics emphatically with six league goal contributions in just five games so far, including his wonderfully-taken brace against West Ham last time out.
Speaking after the victory in east London, Maresca pointed to the striker's unseen work, too: "It is fantastic [for him]. In terms of the numbers, so goals and assists, he is doing well since I arrived. Off the ball, he is working hard and if a player misses one or two chances, that does not necessarily mean he is not playing well."
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'A nice problem'
It will be intriguing to see how long it lasts, but Maresca has so far been able to keep a array of attacking talent happy and in form despite being unable to meet all of their game-time expectations.
Jackson has made himself undroppable despite the presence of the fit-again Christopher Nkunku, widely considered to be Chelsea's most potent attacking threat but forced to settle for a place on the bench in the Premier League
Rather than sit around and mope, though, that seems to have fuelled Nkunku to stake his claim, with the Frenchman seizing every opportunity that comes his way in the cup competitions. He bagged a hat-trick against Barrow in the Carabao Cup in midweek and already has two goals in Conference League qualifying to add to his league winner against Bournemouth.
"Both Nicolas and Christo [Nkunku] are doing fantastic," Maresca said recently. "It’s a nice problem when you have two strikers who continue to score. When you can decide which one to start with, it's nice. And because they are in a good moment we can use them both."
In the wide areas, Maresca has shuffled through Noni Madueke, Jadon Sancho, Pedro Neto and Mykhailo Mudryk, with all of them making their mark to varying degrees already.
After reportedly seeing their deal to sign Tosin Adarabioyo hijacked by Chelsea, Newcastle United have reportedly turned their focus towards an alternative option for Eddie Howe.
Newcastle transfer news
The Magpies don't seem to be wasting any time this summer, with a deal to sign Lloyd Kelly on a free deal upon the expiry of his Bournemouth contract reportedly on the cards. The versatile defender will arrive off the back of a solid season at the Vitality Stadium and on course to ease Howe's defensive depth problems. But he wasn't meant to be the only Premier League defender arriving.
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Reports suggested that Tosin Adarabioyo was also on course to join Newcastle in a similar deal at the end of his Fulham contract this summer. The ball seemed to be in the Magpies' court, but then Chelsea came swooping in. Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are closing in on signing the central defender this summer.
Not wasting any time thinking about what might have been, however, those at St James' Park have instantly shifted their focus. According to TuttoSport via Football Italia, Newcastle are now eyeing a move to sign Dean Huijsen in a deal that would be worth just €30m (£26m) this summer. With Juventus looking to sell the young defender too, Newcastle could make negotiations simple by matching that price tag.
Dean Huijsen in action for Roma.
Still just 19 years old, Huijsen's reported £12k-a-week salary wouldn't disrupt Newcastle's wage bill either, making him an ideal second option after missing out on Adarabioyo.
"Excellent" Huijsen can make Newcastle forget Adarabioyo
Impressing on loan at AS Roma in the season just gone, Huijsen could now get the chance to make his biggest move yet by joining up with Newcastle and playing in the Premier League. What's more, such a move would go a long way in helping Newcastle forget all about their failed pursuit of Adarabioyo this summer.
Minutes
522
1617
Progressive Passes
3.45
3.44
Tackles Won
0.86
0.61
Ball Recoveries
4.31
2.39
Huijsen's numbers highlight just how much potential he has on and off the ball, with almost double the ball recoveries of Adarabioyo, whilst also matching his progressive passes per 90 in impressive fashion.
It's no surprise that the Juventus teenager has earned such high praise throughout the season, including from Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, who his positioning and ability to read the game as "excellent" on X, whilst also highlighting his aerial dominance.
Everything is pointing towards a top player in the making and one that Newcastle should be targeting after missing out on Adarabioyo. In the long-term, Huijsen may even prove to be the better option for the Magpies.