Latest Chelsea news of Tuesday 24th December 2024:
1.Chelsea Predicted Starting Line Up against Fulham
The much-anticipated Road derby is nearly upon us this Boxing Day, and Enzo Maresca is likely to go with the starting team below.
GK Robert Sanchez; Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto; Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez; Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho; Christopher Nkunku
2.Chelsea Tipped to Sign Goalkeeper Who is Better than Sanchez
Chelsea arrive at Christmas second in the Premier League table, fighting for higher honours than many presumed of them before the start of the season.
They were forced to settle for a draw against Everton that then allowed Liverpool to extend their advantage as top-flight leaders to four points with a game in hand, though Enzo Maresca has plenty of positives to isolate from whatever negatives may linger.
Former Premier League striker Darren Bent has recommended Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez as a replacement for Robert Sanchez – but only on one condition.
“I wonder if they (Villa) don’t get the Champions League… I know he signed a new contract, but could he go? He could play for almost any team he wanted to. Chelsea could get him,” he discussed on talkSPORT.
3.Axel Disasi Move
According to Calciomercato and Il Bianconero, Juventus have made its first request to Chelsea regarding the transfer of Axel Disasi this January.
Having supposedly decided his time at Stamford Bridge is up with Maresca handing him only Europa Conference League opportunities, the Italian giants wish to know the central defender’s availability and what it will take to get the deal complete in January.
It may not be straightforward, but financially it may make more sense for Juve than alternative targets. A loan before a permanent transfer for Disasi would cost less than ‘first-choice’ David Hancko from Feyenoord, then Antonio Silva of Benfica seems entirely unrealistic due to his high price tag.
4. Chelsea Injury Updates
Wesley Fofana
Injury: Hamstring.
Fofana has not featured for Chelsea since the 3-0 win over Aston Villa in early December. Initially, he looked set for a short absence but Maresca has since confirmed that is not the case
Romeo Lavia
Injury: Hamstring.
Lavia has been plagued by injuries during his Chelsea career and has not been able to play since coming off at half time against Tottenham a few weeks ago.
What Maresca has said: “Romeo will probably struggle to play on Sunday. But we will see tomorrow.”
Possible return date: Fulham (H) – Thursday, December 26.
Reece James
Injury: Hamstring.
James has taken a significant step towards returning from his latest injury but the Blues are unsurprisingly expected to take extreme caution when it comes to managing his comeback.
What Maresca has said: “He will start with us for part of the session. So slowly, slowly, he is moving forward. That doesn’t mean he will be with us on Sunday or next Sunday. Tomorrow, part of the session will be with him managed then it’s building the right condition for him.’
Possible return date: Late January.
Mykhailo Mudryk
Injury: N/A.
On Tuesday, December 17 both Chelsea and Mudryk put out a statement confirming there had been an “adverse finding in a routine urine test”. The club have urged they are fully behind the player while Mudryk is currently working on appealing the failed drugs test.
What Maresca has said: “I think the situation is now a bit more clear in terms of we have a statement from the club and the club already said what we need to say. So there is not anything to add except that the club, the coaching staff and all the people that are inside the training ground we support and we trust Misha.”
Benoit Badiashile
Injury: Unknown.
Benoit Badiashile picked up an injury in training earlier this month which looks set to keep him out for a while.
What Maresca has said: “Both [Fofana and Badiashile] are still out and will still be out for a long period.”
Possible return date: Unknown.
5.Supercomputer Predicts Chelsea’s Premier League Position
With the Premier League fixtures now completed until after Christmas, a supercomputer has attempted to predict how the final table will look. BettingExpert.com have crunched the numbers using their system, BETSiE, and have tipped the final winner for the title.
The prediction believes that Arsenal will finish second in the Premier League this season with 75 points. That would be more than eight points adrift of Liverpool, who are tipped to win the title with 84 points this term.
Chelsea are third in the prediction with 74 points, less than two behind the Gunners. Manchester City are fourth in the prediction with 67 points, eight behind Arsenal and seven adrift of the Blues.
6.Former Chelsea Manager to return to Premier League
Former Chelsea boss Graham Potter has become the ‘favourite’ to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, a Betfair spokesperson has claimed.
Spurs head coach Postecoglou currently remains in his role but is under huge pressure after Sunday’s 6-3 defeat to Liverpool in north London.
That result has seen bookmakers Betfair make Postecoglou the new second-favourite to become the next top-flight manager to face the sack.
‘Following Tottenham’s 6-3 defeat against Liverpool on Sunday, Ange Postecoglou is now the 3/1 second-favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave their role, having previously been 14/1 to go next,’ Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said.
7.Chelsea Identifies Ben Chilwell
Chelsea are now ready to make a move to sign a new defender for Enzo Maresca as they look to bolster their ranks in their bid for Premier League supremacy, according to a fresh report.
Currently second in the Premier League, Maresca’s Chelsea are expected to be among the busier sides in January. The Blues have been linked with a move for a new defender amid speculation they could look to sign Benfica’s Tomas Araujo, while their admiration for Victor Osimhen is also not thought to have diminished despite Nicolas Jackson’s immense form.
However, much of the work done at Stamford Bridge over the January window will likely be on exits.
According to the Boot Room, who claim that Chelsea are one of four clubs keeping a close eye on Milan defender Theo Hernandez amid his contract standoff at San Siro. The Frenchman’s £81,000 a week deal in Italy expires in 2026, and Milan Live claim that “to date there has been no significant progress on his renewal”, meaning that “everything suggests that the left back could be sold in the next transfer window”.
8. Christopher Nkunku Linked to Barca
Christopher Nkunku’s agent has reportedly offered Barcelona the chance to pursue a cut-price deal for the Chelsea forward.
The £52m recruit has failed to secure regular minutes under new manager Enzo Maresca, who has favoured Nicolas Jackson and kept the Frenchman as part of his second-string side used in the Conference League. Nkunku has struck five goals in as many games in the third-tier European competition.
According to SPORT, this lack of minutes has left Nkunku frustrated and keen to leave Chelsea, either on loan in January or on a permanent deal in the summer.
Nkunku’s agent, Pini Zahavi, has been tasked with finding a new club for the 27-year-old and has made contact with Barcelona. Zahavi has a strong bond with the Catalan outfit and has made it clear that Nkunku would be prepared to lower his salary to seal a move to Barcelona.
9.Manchester United to Compete for Osimhen Signature
Ruben Amorim is ‘dissatisfied’ with his current options at Manchester United and has urged his bosses to sign long-term Chelsea target Victor Osimhen, according to reports.
The initial excitement that was provided by Amorim’s arrival at Old Trafford has given way to a familiar feeling of disappointment and frustration among United fans.
Manchester United sealed a morale-boosting victory over local rivals Manchester City last weekend but followed that up with a Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat to Tottenham and a humbling 3-0 loss at home to Bournemouth.
Those setbacks mean United have won less than half of their games since Amorim left his post at Sporting Lisbon to take over from sacked Erik ten Hag.
10.Enzo Fernandez on Chelsea Prize Tag
Having arrived at Chelsea from Benfica in January 2023 for a reported British-record £106.8 million, the midfielder’s performances have been under the microscope from the beginning.
Now under his third permanent manager at the west London club, after outlasting Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino, Fernandez conceded that he was “not satisfied” with his early displays.
“When I arrived it was very difficult, the first year and a half here: change of coaches, the club wasn’t doing well, personal injuries,” Fernandez told ESPN.
“It [the price tag] didn’t affect me. I tried to take it responsibly, with enjoyment, without pressure. I was not satisfied with what I had been showing, then I got injured, many adverse things happened.
“I tried to move forward but today I feel very good, as does the team, and we hope to continue on this path.”
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