It was crucial that Everton put the brakes on their season for a third time with a win. And win the Toffees did. The Hill Dickinson returned to form as David Moyes oversaw a professional victory over Fulham in the Premier League.

The 2-0 win marked the end of a three-match winless run for Everton, lifting them to 11th in the standings. It’s all rather congested in the middle of the table right now, but Everton know they need to make improvements if they wish to beat off mid-table competition and push for a place in the top half.

And it’s becoming apparent that external solutions will be needed, thus turning our attention toward the looming January transfer window.

Where Everton are looking to strengthen

Everton’s winter transfer plans are currently rather nebulous, but that’s only natural given there is still a month and a half until the January market opens for business.

What is clear is that Moyes will be looking to strengthen, and the Friedkin Group are ready to back him in this endeavour. More detailed plans might be unknown, but it’s obvious that the Toffees will look to sign a striker, with Beto and £27m summer recruit Thierno Barry both toiling this term, one goal between them in the Premier League.

Were the Merseysiders playing their football with a reliable bagsman at number nine, it would not be unreasonable to suggest that European contention would already be a conversation.

That could still be the case, with a few tweaks. It’s not just up top where Everton need to remedy their tactical creases. Both full-back berths have been focus points of criticism this season, with Jake O’Brien industrious at right-back but out of position nonetheless, naturally a centre-back.

Let’s have a look at how Everton could shape up after a window of dealings.

Moyes' dream XI after January

Jordan Pickford will, of course, remain between the sticks for Everton, having extended until 2029 last month.

The return of Jarrad Branthwaite to fitness will also feel like a new signing for side who have had to make do at the rear this term. Praise must be placed at Michael Keane’s feet, the English defender having completed a U-turn before the end of last season, signing a new deal and starting every Premier League match of the campaign.

It is indeed the wide defenders who need changing, and Everton could act on their interest in Sevilla’s Juanlu Sanchez, with an October report suggesting the Blues have prepared a £17m bid ahead of January.

Sanchez, 23, is a powerful and balanced player, and in La Liga this season, he ranks among the top 14% of positional peers for progressive carries and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

This would be an interesting deal to add width and dynamism down Everton’s right side, but it could be a move that is overshadowed by a loan bid for Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Lewis-Skelly’s reduced role in Mikel Arteta’s title-challenging team this season is not a reflection of his skillset but an emphasis on the Gunners’ remarkable rise in recent years. The 19-year-old was very much a part of that last year, his performances leading The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid to describe him as a “£100m footballer”.

Arteta has yet to name the prospect from the opening in the top flight this season, and this has given rise to chatter about a winter loan move. A number of unnamed Premier League clubs are monitoring the situation, and it’s more than likely that Everton are among that mix.

Such additions would have a marked impact on Everton’s prospects this season, giving Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish more freedom and security on the attacking wings. Grealish is only a loanee himself, but there are hopes that a permanent deal can be engineered in 2026.

That leaves the big one. One of Beto or Barry could leave the Hill Dickinson this winter, especially when Everton have shown signs of interest in Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney, who left the Premier League for Saudi Arabia in 2024.

Toney, 29, is one of England’s most talented and dangerous marksmen, and he had been coveted by Chelsea last summer, before the stars aligned for a big pay packet overseas.

The Athletic have confirmed that the former Brentford man is a player of interest heading into the January market, albeit with a host of complications relating to finances and the thick competition for such a signature at the season’s midpoint.

This would be an ambitious move, but one which could pay off handsomely if the Merseyside club play their cards right. The £30m-rated Toney, after all, is intrigued by the possibility of returning to his homeland ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Instrumental in propping the Gtech up in the Premier League, Toney was described by Thomas Frank as being a “monster” of a striker, not only deadly in front of goal but dynamic and intelligent too.

Ivan Toney’s Premier League Career

Season

Apps

Goals (assists)

25/26

17

4 (2)

24/25

33

20 (4)

23/24

33

12 (5)

Data via Transfermarkt

It won’t be easy, wrestling the £400k-per-week Three Lions star from the Gulf region and beating the inevitable competition for his signature, but Everton need a striker, and Moyes may just canvass a compelling proposal to the proven Premier League star.

We can say without question that Everton have enjoyed an upswing in results and performances since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche at the helm. But Everton need more. There’s a bluntness to the squad’s attack, and by reenergising the widths and placing a robust and hungry option at the focal front point, Moyes might just pull off another special success.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 7, 2025

Manchester United find themselves building something worthwhile under Ruben Amorim and could now be set to outstrip their rivals to sign Leicester City sensation Jeremy Monga.

While having to settle for a draw at the City Ground last Saturday may have been a frustrating outcome, there were plenty of positives on show as the Red Devils came from a goal down to claim a point at Nottingham Forest.

Four Premier League matches unbeaten may not have the same ring to it as five wins in a row. However, there is undeniable progress being made at Old Trafford, and Amorim’s side are starting to find consistency in time for the festive run of fixtures.

Still, the former Sporting boss is keen to seek more improvement, pointing out that his side suffered from lapses of concentration that ended their hopes of another victory on the road.

He said on Match of the Day: “If I think about game, we lost control for five minutes. I feel in the recent past if we had had this situation, going from 1-0 up to 2-1 down, we would’ve struggled so much more than we did today.

“My feeling is that we played well but we dropped a little bit of energy. When we are full of energy, we are the better team. My players are giving everything but we have the potential to do better and sometimes we have these moments.”

There is a feeling that the best is still to come under Amorim. His reign has taken time to get off the ground, but the January window and beyond offers another chance to shape his team with key reinforcements.

With that in mind, the Red Devils are feeling some optimism that they could beat bitter rivals Manchester City to sign a top talent.

Man Utd looking to beat Man City to sign Leicester City star Jeremy Monga

According to Football Insider, Man Utd hold optimism that they can sign Jeremy Monga from Leicester City, and they could land him for as little as £2 million due to the fact the 16-year-old isn’t yet eligible to pen a professional deal at the Foxes until he turns 17.

Coming under the bracket of nominal compensation, the Red Devils’ target has registered a solitary strike and an assist in 12 appearances this campaign, breaking Jude Bellingham’s record as the Championship’s youngest ever goalscorer against Preston North End.

Compared to Ousmane Dembele by Ben Mattinson, he came close to joining Manchester City and Liverpool earlier in the year, and the Red Devils see Monga as the next in a line of poaching elite talent from other clubs following their additions of Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi Martin.

Manchester United are keen to back Amorim over the coming years, and securing prodigious stars who can potentially go on to become worth millions is an effective way of breeding squad improvement, factoring in financial limitations.

Man Utd are also preparing a big-money bid for a star from South America

That process will take time and effort, granted, though profiling players like Monga is the way to go if the Red Devils have designs on eventually rejoining the Premier League elite.

Spring training is a place where players can work out some rust and get ready for the long season ahead. But they aren't the only ones who can benefit from some time in the sun in either Arizona or Florida. Umpires also need it to get back into game shape after a long winter spent not making calls in meaningful games.

Quinn Wolcott knows what we're talking about. He was the first base ump in Tuesday's Angels-Rangers game and he had one of the funniest moments of the spring when he seemed to have a quick debate with himself before making the correct call on a close play at the bag.

Check out as he first looks to make a safe call, only to quickly seem to change to an out call, before going back and calling it safe.

Too funny. But hey, at least he got the call right. That's all fans really want to see from the guys in blue.

Can Arsenal continue their unbeaten streak at Stamford Bridge?

The Gunners will make the seven-mile trip across the capital on Sunday, currently unbeaten in six away games against Chelsea, winning three of them, despite having lost eight of their previous ten Premier League fixtures at the Bridge; how times have changed.

Well, already this week, Mikel Arteta’s team have comprehensively beaten both Tottenham and Bayern Munich at home, and a victory on Sunday would move them nine points clear of the Blues at the top of the Premier League table.

So, if the Gunners are to beat another fierce rival, Arteta should unleash his attacker labelled “better than Bukayo Saka”.

Leandro Trossard latest injury news

Just when Arsenal were starting to get some attacking players back from injury, another could be heading for the treatment room.

38 minutes into Wednesday’s win over Bayern Munich, Leandro Trossard suffered a knock and was forced to come off.

Speaking in his press conference on Friday, Arteta said that “we’ll have to see” if the Belgian will be available this weekend, noting that he has avoided serious injury, but has not trained since the match.

Losing Trossard would be a major blow, considering he has already scored five goals and registered five assists across all competitions this season, most recently breaking the deadlock in last weekend’s North London derby.

However, does Arteta have a ready-made replacement, one who will be particularly raring to face Chelsea?

The attacker Mikel Arteta must start vs Chelsea

Arsenal do remain without Viktor Gyökeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, but Arteta is now going to have some attacking options from which to choose once again.

Both Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli made their returns off the bench in mid-week, while Noni Madueke has been introduced as a substitute in each of the last two matches, scoring his first goal for the club against Bayern Munich, connecting with Riccardo Calafiori’s cross at the back post.

Before being introduced for a late cameo against Spurs, Madueke hadn’t been seen since 21 September when Manchester City drew in North London, sustaining a knee injury that day, which was a real blow because he had been really bright up until that point.

Back in September, the winger also scored his first goal for England, on target as the Three Lions demolished Serbia 5-0 in a World Cup qualifier at the Marakana in Belgrade.

After the match, former Manchester United defender Paul Parker asserted that “I actually think he’s better than Bukayo Saka”, a bold take, but let’s compare the pair in the Premier League last season to test this hypothesis.

Goals

0.4

0.4

Assists

0.2

0.6

Shots

2.6

2.2

Shots on target %

56%

56%

Chances created

1.4

3

Big chances created

0.26

1.1

Big chances missed

0.6

0.4

Completed take-ons

2

2.2

Take-on success %

49.45%

52.56%

Touches

47.4

56.8

% of touches in box

18.48%

16.54%

Average rating

7.03

7.60

As the table documents, Saka does come out on top for the vast majority of metrics, but Madueke’s numbers are largely comparable across the board, superior in some key areas too.

The 23-year-old attempts more shots and registers a higher percentage of his touches in the opposition penalty area, underlining that he might just be more of a goal threat, with Saka excelling as the creator.

Also, Madueke’s direct running and fearlessness could be exactly what Arteta’s team need in this game, hoping to give Reece James, Malo Gusto or whoever else Enzo Maresca might deploy at right-back nightmares.

Having been cast aside by Chelsea in the summer, told he was surplus to requirements, Madueke will surely be ultra-motivated to show his former employers what they passed up on, so could he write his name into Arsenal folklore?

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians informou nesta quinta-feira (18) que o meio-campista Maycon sofreu uma ruptura do ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho direito na derrota para o Juventude, por 2 a 0, pela segunda rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Maycon foi substituído aos 30 minutos da primeira etapa com dores no joelho após uma disputa de bola com o adversário. O jogador será submetido à cirurgia nos próximos dias e não vai mais atuar pelo clube nesta temporada, visto que o tempo de recuperação é de aproximadamente nove meses.

Segundo apurou a reportagem com pessoas próximas ao atleta, Maycon deve ter seu contrato renovado com o Corinthians pelo menos até se recuperar da lesão. Emprestado ao Timão, o atual vínculo do meia com o clube se encerra em dezembro deste ano.

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Sem o camisa 7, titular da equipe nesta temporada, António Oliveira tem à disposição Fausto Vera e o jovem Breno Bidon como principais opções para o setor.

Além da dupla, a comissão técnica conta com o retorno de Paulinho, recuperado justamente de uma lesão ligamentar no joelho. O experiente jogador retornou após dez meses afastado e participou das últimas três partidas da equipe. Outro jogador da base que pode receber minutos é Ryan, integrado ao elenco profissional após a conquista da Copinha.

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Com apenas um ponto conquistado nas duas primeiras rodadas do Campeonato Brasileiro, o Corinthians volta a campo no próximo sábado (20), contra o RB Bragantino, às 18h30 (de Brasília), no Nabizão.

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Arsenal are now the last team with a perfect Champions League record this season after they beat Bayern Munich 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Gunners have recorded five wins from five and kept up their 100 percent start by ending that of the Germans' in the process. Jurrien Timber put Arsenal ahead in the first half, while Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score.

Midway through the first half, Arsenal broke the deadlock. Bayern's terrible record on set pieces was emphasised before the game, and the hosts took full advantage from a corner, with Timber getting in front of Manuel Neuer to nod in a Bukayo Saka corner.

That lead should have been doubled soon after when Eberechi Eze played a neat one-two with Mikel Merino to set himself in on goal, but Joshua Kimmich made a brilliant recovery challenge to deny the derby-day hero. And that missed opportunity came back to haunt Arsenal as Bayern levelled the score seconds later. Kimmich's delectable ball over the head of Myles Lewis-Skelly found Serge Gnabry, whose first-time cross picked out teenager Lennart Karl to thunder in at close range.

After the break, Mikel Merino spurned a free header after an excellent cross from Saka to the back post, while Karl went down the other end in search of his second but his tame shot was held by David Raya. Merino then headed wide from a wicked Declan Rice corner and Neuer kept out Cristhian Mosquera from a few yards out shortly afterwards in a manic 15 minutes following the interval.

An almighty scramble saw Rice force Neuer into a low save with his foot, and the rebound didn't fall kindly for Saka to be able to convert, with the Bayern goalkeeper able to sweep up the loose ball, much to the frustration of a brooding home crowd.

With 20 minutes remaining, Arsenal went back in front. Riccardo Calafiori, just on as a substitute, drilled in a low cross right through the Bayern box, and Madueke arrived ahead of Konrad Laimer to tap in his first goal for the Gunners.

Bayern nearly pulled level again when another straight ball over the defence found former Gunner Gnabry, but he couldn't make contact with his acrobatic effort and Arsenal were let off the hook.

The hosts wrapped up the points in the final quarter of an hour after another howler from Neuer. Eze's dink over the top found Martinelli, who still had 50 yards to go to goal, only for the German keeper to try and meet him halfway, fluffing his clearance and allowing the winger to roll the ball into an empty net.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (6/10):

As has been the case for much of the season, the Spaniard had very little to do.

Jurrien Timber (8/10):

Got Arsenal off the mark with his third goal of the season, heading in Saka's corner. Scarcely troubled with his defensive duties despite Gnabry's fine performance, with the German winger having to vacate that flank to get most of his joy. Afforded a rest with White taking his place.

William Saliba (7/10):

Nearly cost his side when a clearance hit Zubimendi straight in the backside, but Raya was on hand to clear up the mess. Otherwise dealt well with Kane, who offered very little.

Cristhian Mosquera (7/10):

Similarly didn't allow Kane to have a sniff, allowing home fans to gleefully chant, 'Harry, what's the score?'.

Myles Lewis-Skelly (4/10):

A testing night for the teenager, who was continually targeted by Bayern's attackers, including in the build up to Karl's equaliser. Mercifully taken off for Calafiori.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

Positionally and technically fine again, though his contributions paled in comparison to the scorers and midfield partner.

Declan Rice (8/10):

Ran through Bayern in the second half like they weren't even there. Unfortunate not to have grabbed an assist for himself with his tremendous set-piece deliveries.

Eberechi Eze (7/10):

Technically set up Martinelli though you could probably chalk that one down as a Neuer assist instead. Didn't look out of place on this Champions League stage. Subbed for the returning Odegaard.

Getty Images SportAttack

Bukayo Saka (7/10):

For the most part a thorn in Bayern's side, coming up with the assist for Timber from a corner, but Arsenal fans may be worried about his rusty physicality. Taken off for Martinelli.

Mikel Merino (6/10):

Led the line well and had some opportunities to get on the scoresheet with a couple of headers, but lacked that scoring touch this time out.

Leandro Trossard (5/10):

Was set through on goal in the opening exchanges but completely fluffed his lines when faced with the onrushing Neuer. Substituted before half-time with an injury.

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Noni Madueke (8/10):

Replaced the injured Trossard before the break. Took it upon himself to constantly get at the Bayern defenders and was eventually rewarded with a goal.

Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

Similarly got what he deserved for showing enthusiasm and personality, racing beyond Neuer to add Arsenal's third goal of the evening.

Riccardo Calafiori (8/10):

Made an instant impact in place of Lewis-Skelly, putting in a cross that Madueke couldn't miss.

Ben White (N/A):

A late replacement for Timber.

Martin Odegaard (N/A):

Made his return from injury in place of Eze.

Mikel Arteta (8/10):

Credit to the Arsenal boss again. His side drifted to the end of the first half before they grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, and his substitutions were pivotal to that.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has now dropped a fresh injury update on Cole Palmer ahead of the tough Champions League clash against Barcelona on Tuesday night.

The Blues are gearing up for a difficult fixture in mid-week, taking on reigning La Liga champions Barca in their fifth Champions League fixture this season, and Maresca’s side will be aiming to put things right after only being able to muster up a 1-1 draw against Qarabag last time out.

However, the west Londoners have been struggling on the injury front for quite some time, which will be a concern for the manager, with the likes of Levi Colwill, Romeo Lavia and Palmer still sidelined, missing the 2-0 victory against Burnley at the weekend.

The Italian will no doubt be frustrated the England international has missed large parts of the campaign, having said back in January: “His team-mates see him as a top player so at the moment when we have some difficulties and we are looking for the closest one to help us, we need Cole to step forward in that moment.

“In that moment, in the second-half against Wolves, he showed his team-mate he is a leader inside the pitch.”

However, there has now been a promising update on the 23-year-old’s injury ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Barcelona…

Enzo Maresca drops injury update on Cole Palmer

As relayed by Football London, Maresca has now confirmed Palmer has already returned to training, saying: “Yeah, we don’t know when, but for sure, it will be soon. He is already on the pitch, touching the ball and the feeling is good.”

The 45-year-old stopped short of confirming whether the £130k-a-week star will be available for the tough test against Barca, but a swift return appears to be on the cards, which will be welcome news, heading into a tricky run of fixtures.

Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Barcelona (h)

November 25th

Arsenal (h)

November 30th

Leeds United (a)

December 3rd

AFC Bournemouth (a)

December 6th

Atalanta (a)

December 9th

The Blues may have an outside chance of winning the Premier League title, having moved into second place courtesy of the victory at Turf Moor, and they could make a major statement by defeating league leaders Arsenal at Stamford Bridge this Sunday.

However, Maresca will need his best players available if Chelsea are to stand any chance of beating the Gunners, and the former Manchester City man is certainly in that category, having contributed 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 appearances since moving to west London.

Palmer will also be eager to receive consistent game time to ensure he is on the plane to the World Cup with England, having proven his ability to deliver in big games by scoring against Spain in the final of Euro 2024.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 22, 2025

Liverpool’s Premier League win last season may have come as a surprise to many, especially after Arne Slot took the reins from the legendary Jürgen Klopp.

There’s little denying the Dutchman massively exceeded expectations at Anfield during his debut year, which may have heaped added pressure on his shoulders for 2025/26.

The Reds turned into the hunted rather than the hunters before a ball was kicked, but the £466m spending spree during the off-season only increased the size of the target on their backs.

However, it appears as though the 47-year-old could well be on borrowed time in the managerial role, after losing a remarkable six of the last seven league outings.

It remains to be seen how much time Slot will be given to transform the club’s fortunes, but the upcoming transfer window could present an opportunity to address some glaring issues.

Liverpool’s pursuit of new additions ahead of January

Over the last couple of days, Liverpool have been one of the clubs named in the pursuit of Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson in the January window.

Slot will have had the opportunity to view the Englishman first-hand over the weekend, as the 23-year-old featured for 90 minutes in the 3-0 defeat at Anfield.

However, any deal would be yet another huge investment, as Sean Dyche’s side are currently demanding £100m for his services – with Manchester United also interested in the Englishman.

He’s not the only youngster currently in their sights, with Juventus star Kenan Yildiz another player being considered by the board ahead of the upcoming window.

According to Football Insider, the Reds are closely monitoring the progress of the 20-year-old, who has already racked up five combined goals and assists in his 11 Serie A appearances.

Their report also states that Arsenal are another side tracking the Turkish international, even though the Italian side are reluctant to offload one of their key players.

Why Liverpool’s latest target would be a better signing than Semenyo

Despite spending heavily in the summer window, Liverpool’s attempts to bolster their squad in January could come to fruition, which could see Antoine Semenyo move to Anfield.

The Ghanaian has been in tremendous form during the early stages of 2025/26, with the 25-year-old already netting six times in his first 11 outings for Bournemouth.

He’s also registered three assists, taking his total goal contributions this season to nine – with the Reds supporters able to witness his talents first-hand on Merseyside.

The winger netted twice in the Reds’ 4-2 victory at Anfield on the opening day, a performance that will no doubt have caught the eye of Slot and the hierarchy.

He currently has a £65m release clause in his deal at the Vitality, with other sides such as Arsenal and Manchester United also targeting a deal for his signature this winter.

However, Liverpool should look past a deal for Semenyo and place all their attention on Yildiz, with the Juve star undoubtedly a bigger star for the immediate and long-term future.

When comparing the pair’s respective figures from the ongoing campaign, the Turkish star has dominated in numerous key areas, many of which could help correct the recent slump.

Yildiz, who’s been dubbed “the best youngster in the world” by one analyst, has registered more progressive carries and passes per 90 – showcasing his ability to get the ball into dangerous areas.

He’s also been able to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst notching more key passes per 90 – arguably being the solution to the Reds’ creative woes.

Games played

11

11

Goals & assists

5

9

Passes completed

78%

69%

Key passes made

2.5

1.1

Take-ons completed

43%

42%

Carries into final third

3.1

1.8

Shot-creating actions

5.1

3.2

Crosses completed

4.1

1.2

The Juve sensation’s dominance over Semenyo is further reflected in his higher take-on success rate and carries into the final third per 90 – potentially being able to star in a number ten or left-wing role.

Other numbers, such as higher shot-creating actions and more crosses completed per 90, offer yet another reason why the 20-year-old is a bigger talent – but it’s unclear how much a move would set the hierarchy back.

His talents and versatility could make him a phenomenal option for Slot and Liverpool, with such a deal adding needed quality into the club’s frontline, which could help save Slot’s job.

Semenyo would also be a superb signing, but based on the aforementioned numbers, it’s evident that Yildiz would be the perfect player to try and resurrect the club’s recent dismal form in the Premier League.

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2 ByMatt Dawson Nov 23, 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.

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Laura Wolvaardt backed up a century in the semi-final with another one in the final but South Africa fell short in a chase of 299

Karthik Krishnaswamy02-Nov-2025

The Indian team lifts the World Cup Trophy•ICC/Getty Images

This had been India’s World Cup all along. As hosts. As the emerging global powerhouse of women’s cricket. As the team that has pushed the sport’s hegemonic force harder than any other, defeating it twice in semi-finals. As the team whose time had been too long in coming.On Sunday, India made it their World Cup by winning it. Shafali Verma capped an extraordinary week with an extraordinary display in the final: 87 off 78 balls to set up a total of 298 for 7, and two unexpected wickets of characteristic cheek at a crucial juncture in a chase that threatened more than once to turn into a nailbiter. Deepti Sharma, a world-class offspinner who has raised her batting to a new level this year, backed up a run-a-ball half-century with a five-wicket haul that combined old-school overspin with new-age defensive skills. India won by 52 runs, and that margin disguised how much tension this final contained.This was a meeting of two teams nursing histories of heartbreak, and one had to lose. That fate was South Africa’s, cruelly for their captain Laura Wolvaardt, the tournament’s highest run-getter, who followed a career-defining semi-final century with an innings just as good. This was anyone’s game as long as she was in, given South Africa’s immense depth, until she was seventh out for 101 off 98 balls, miscuing Deepti high into the Navi Mumbai night.Nadine de Klerk, the match-winner in the league-stage meeting between these teams, kept faint hopes alive with her hitting, but 78 to get with only Nos. 10 and 11 for company was too much of an ask even for her.Laura Wolvaardt finished 571 tournament runs, new World Cup record•ICC/Getty ImagesSouth Africa won what looked to be an important toss, but the dew that Navi Mumbai has always brought to run-chases didn’t quite materialise, possibly because the showers that pushed the match back by two hours brought temperatures down well before night fell.This equalised conditions for both teams, and India, in the end, had personnel better suited to a pitch where the ball stopped and gripped: more in-form batters adept at risk-free manipulation of spin, and spinners who posed a greater attacking threat. As long as dew didn’t complicate Deepti and Shree Charani’s job, South Africa were going to find it difficult to chase 299 on this pitch.Related

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The chase put India’s innings in perspective. Their total was the second-highest ever achieved in a Women’s World Cup final, but given the events of Thursday’s semi-final on the same ground, and given South Africa’s depth, it looked less than intimidating.And recent events were fresh in the mind. India had been 200 for 3 after 35 overs. They only scored 98 in their last 15 overs, and only 69 in their last 10.But the key passages may have come earlier.When the skies cleared and the match began, Shafali and Smriti Mandhana got off to start as ominous as Australia’s on Thursday; 58 for no loss in eight overs. Ayabonga Khaka struggled to control the sometimes extravagant swing she found, and Marizanne Kapp didn’t find much at all with her new ball. Both erred frequently.Shafali Verma made her highest ODI score in the World Cup final•AFP/Getty ImagesShafali, stepping out to the seamers whenever she could, drove and flicked her way to five fours in her first 19 balls, and Mandhana, less overtly aggressive, had unfurled her two favourite shots, the back-cut and the cover drive, against Khaka in a 14-run sixth over.But South Africa pulled things back courtesy de Klerk’s straighter lines and left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba’s pace variations, with India only scoring 13 runs in the five overs from the ninth to the 13th.The boundaries began to flow again thereafter, though, with Shafali launching de Klerk down the ground for the first six of the innings in the 15th over, but just when India seemed to be pulling away from South Africa’s reach, Mandhana was out edging a late-cut to the keeper, bringing a 104-run opening stand to an end.This pull-push continued all the way through the innings, in conditions where neither the bowlers nor batters could quite get on top. A tiring, cramping Shafali fell after adding 16 runs to her previous ODI best of 71*, holing out while looking to hit straight and big. Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet and Amanjot Kaur all got off to starts but couldn’t convert, two of them falling to balls that seemed to stop on the pitch.India’s lack of a big finish owed a lot to how well South Africa exploited this tendency of the pitch, with Khaka making up for her expensive new-ball spell (3-0-29-0) by conceding just 29 runs in her last seven overs while picking up the key wickets of Shafali, Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh.Ayabonga Khaka picked up three big wickets•Getty ImagesGhosh walked in at 245 for 5 in the 44th over and launched her second ball for an effortless six over the covers. She remained the only India batter to defy the conditions and hit the old ball cleanly through the line, pouncing on South Africa’s shift in strategy from stump-to-stump cutters to yorker attempts that came with a smaller margin for error.Khaka’s dismissal of Ghosh in the 49th over, however, seemed to even up the contest once more. Right through that over, Khaka kept cramping Ghosh with pinpoint yorkers that followed her attempts to manufacture room, before a last-ball flick ended up in deep backward square leg’s hands.De Klerk followed up with a final over in which Deepti and new batter Radha Yadav were only able to take singles, and India had ended up two short of 300.Deepti had been a busy presence through the last 20 overs of the innings, slog-sweeping with authority when she could, and keeping the strike turning over when she couldn’t. She didn’t quite find the next gear, however, to lift India to the 320-plus total they had seemed set for for so long.The magnitude of India’s 298, however, began looking clear from the time they began defending it. Their seamers didn’t make the line and length errors that South Africa’s did with the new ball, with Renuka Singh causing problems in particular with her booming inswing. She unsuccessfully reviewed a not-out lbw appeal against Tazmin Brits early on, and then nearly had her spoon one to a cleverly positioned short mid-on.DY Patil Stadium was a sea of blue on Sunday•ICC/Getty ImagesBut it took a brilliant bit of fielding for India to get their breakthrough, with Amanjot pouncing to her wrong side from midwicket and throwing down the stumps at the bowler’s end to find Brits short while attempting a quick single.Two overs later, South Africa were two down, as Anneke Bosch ended a miserable tournament with a six-ball duck, misreading Charani’s length and getting trapped right in front while playing back to a ball of fullish length.Wolvaardt, though, was already on 35 off 30, and already looking ominous, having broken free of early pressure with a series of leg-side swats and a clean, straight six off Deepti. Just when she needed a partner to stay in with her, she found one in Sune Luus, whose trademark mix of square and fine sweeps quickly began putting India back under pressure.But just when the third-wicket stand had crossed the half-century mark, India found their golden arm. Shafali, who had taken just the one wicket with her part-time offspin in 30 previous ODIs, sauntered to the crease and prised out Luus with her second ball, delivering something like a slow legcutter or a carrom ball without the finger flick. Expecting turn in one direction and finding it in another, Luus closed her bat face and popped back a return catch. Kept on for another over, she struck again with her first ball, this time turning an offbreak big to have Kapp strangled down the leg side.Deepti Sharma was named Player of the Tournament•ICC/Getty ImagesWith parts of Mumbai experiencing rain at that moment, South Africa had been ahead of the DLS par score before Luus’ dismissal. At 123 for 4 in the 23rd over, they were well behind it.And they slipped further behind when Sinalo Jafta, batting ahead of more proven, more powerful names despite an ODI average in the mid-teens, began to dot up against the spinners. By the time she spooned Deepti to midwicket, she had scored 16 off 29 and 25 off 44 with Wolvaardt.But even with 151 required from 123 balls, this match wasn’t done. Annerie Dercksen silenced a packed stadium with back-to-back sixes off Radha, the first off a high full-toss no-balled for height. Wolvaardt ended Shafali’s spell – perhaps ambitiously stretched into a seventh over – with a pair of fours drilled through the covers and down the ground.With 11 overs to go, South Africa needed 92.But they still had the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, and an end-overs ace, to contend with. Deepti, in the second over of a new spell, produced a quick yorker out of nowhere that Dercksen couldn’t put bat to. And then, in her next over, she slowed one down, inviting Wolvaardt to go big. Dip produced the mishit, but it still needed to be taken, and Amanjot, walking in from deep midwicket, did on the third – or was it the fourth? – attempt, falling to the floor but somehow holding on.Three balls later, Deepti’s white-ball smarts put India another massive step closer, a quicker, cross-seam ball beating Tryon to rap her front pad; given out on the field, DRS upheld it on umpire’s call.There was still work to do, and still nerves to get past, but the World Cup, so elusive for so many years, was beginning to loom into India’s view.