Chelsea are not familiar with quiet summer transfer windows and as it stands, there’s no sign of bucking the trend in 2025.
Since the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital takeover three years ago, the Blues have welcomed 39 permanent signings through the doors.
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Maresca is unlikely to have a shortage of midfielders at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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Fernandez and Caicedo have been impressive for the Blues this seasonCredit: Getty
Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo have been their two biggest arrivals with respective £106.8million and £100million transfers.
The South American duo are Chelsea’s go-to pairing in midfield, but that hasn’t limited their purchases in that position on the pitch.
Romeo Lavia and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall remain options for manager Enzo Maresca, with Mathis Amougou their only winter signing.
Chelsea also have stars out on loan this season, and talkSPORT understands they have agreed to sign Sporting Lisbon wonderkid Dario Essugo as part of a deal which will see teammate Geovany Quenda join the Blues.
They could have as many as ten midfielders on the books once the summer arrives, and talkSPORT.com has looked at the potential plans for each.
Current stars
Fernandez and Caicedo, barring an incredible turn of events, look set to remain as their key assets in the midfield.
Both of their contracts run until at least 2031 and with a combined 52 Premier League starts this season, it’s clear Maresca trusts them.
Ankle and hamstring injuries limited Lavia to just one appearance for Chelsea last season but his fitness has improved since.
Although he has just returned from another hamstring issue, the 21-year-old is a fellow talent hopeful of a long-term future at the club.
Dewsbury-Hall thrived under Maresca at Leicester City and followed him to Chelsea last summer in a £30million transfer.
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Injuries have affected Lavia’s progress but he’s still shone when playingCredit: Getty
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Dewsbury-Hall doesn’t appear to be a key midfield option at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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Amougou has played just once since signing for the BluesCredit: Getty
However, it hasn’t worked out for him as he has made just one start in the Premier League since completing his move to Stamford Bridge.
West Ham were interested in signing him in January and an exit could be a possibility again this summer, whether on loan or permanently.
French youngster Amougou signed from Saint-Etienne last month in a move reportedly worth around £12.6million.
He made his debut in their 4-0 win over Southampton but as per the BBC, a loan move to sister club Strasbourg next season looks likely.
Out on loan
Chelsea have seen the benefit of sending young talent out on loan to Strasbourg, with Andrey Santos having an excellent campaign there.
The 20-year-old has scored eight goals in 24 Ligue 1 appearances and looks set for a first-team squad role at his parent club next season.
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Santos has been one of the most impressive players in Ligue 1 this seasonCredit: AFP
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Chukwuemeka could swap Chelsea for Dortmund on a permanent basis this summerCredit: Getty
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Ugochukwu could be given another loan spell away from the clubCredit: Getty
Carney Chukwuemeka was a bright spark for the Blues last year but has found himself out of favour under Maresca.
He featured only five times before a February loan move to Borussia Dortmund, who have the option to make his switch permanent.
Southampton have Lesley Ugochukwu until the end of the season, a player who has already played 12 times for Chelsea.
The Frenchman has made ten league starts for the Saints and may move on loan elsewhere for more experience in the summer.
Future prospects
Essugo looks set to become the latest starlet to join the Chelsea project with a move from Sporting.
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The 20-year-old is currently on loan at LaLiga side Las Palmas but is on course for a switch to London ahead of next season.
As reported by The Athletic, Chelsea plan to have Portugal U21 star Essugo as cover for Caicedo.
Kendry Paez will join the Blues this summer from Independiente del Valle after a stunning rise in Ecuadorian football.
He has already made 17 senior appearances for his country at the age of 17, scoring two goals.
Paez will also arrive as a deputy option as per The Athletic, this time deeper in midfield for Fernandez despite being more attacking.
Chelsea have more midfielders in their ranks such as Omari Kellyman, who has only played for the U21s and announced on Tuesday he’s out for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury.
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Essugo looks set to be the next wonderkid arrival at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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Paez is eyed as one of the most exciting talents in South AmericaCredit: Getty
Cobham academy product Leo Castledine is on loan at Shrewsbury Town, with Alex Matos spending the season at Oxford United.
Joao Felix joined AC Milan but plays more as a forward, whilst Renato Veiga is at Juventus and primarily plays in defence.
The summer could therefore see another window with plenty of outgoings at Chelsea, with incomings surely set for other positions.
Maresca will have many options at his disposal in midfield for pre-season before the number whittles down for the new campaign.
Moises Caicedo is best midfielder in the Premier League and Chelsea’s most important player over Cole Palmer.
That’s the opinion of talkSPORT host and ex-Blues defender Jason Cunday, and it’s a controversial one considering the 11 goals and six assists Palmer has recorded so far this season.
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Caicedo earned his reputation at Brighton and was soon purchased for a British transfer recordCredit: Getty
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Palmer has dominated headlines for Chelsea, but Cundy insists one of his teammates is more important for ChelseaCredit: Getty
But Caicedo has also been a mainstay within Enzo Maresca’s side, having played every league match this season as Palmer has.
In August 2023 the Ecuadorian signed for a British record fee of £115million from Brighton, and now he is worth every penny to Chelsea fans.
The Blues currently sit second in the Premier League, only two points behind Liverpool, thanks to top performances from the likes of Caicedo.
The versatile 23-year-old has slotted seamlessly into a side that has seen a lot of squad rotation, even at some points playing right-back.
He is strong in the tackle and has the technical ability to kickstart attacks with a splitting pass or drive through the middle of the field.
And Cundy insists he’s the best midfielder in the English top flight at the moment, ahead of Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch who has earned plenty of plaudits for his performances under Arne Slot.
Speaking on talkSPORT’s latest Inside Chelsea show, Cundy said: “Chelsea were good for a kicking by everyone over the media because of the money spent, ‘the billion pound bottle jobs’, it was hard for anyone to look at Caicedo’s performances and really credit them.
“I’ve been talking about Caicedo for a while now. This boy is the best midfielder in the country right now.
“I think he’s our most important player. People will argue Palmer, I understand that. I think he’s our most important player because there’s so much he can do and does do.
“The second goal we scored against Brentford. Win the ball, give it to Enzo, pass, finish.”
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Gravenberch has been key to Liverpool’s title charge this season – but Cundy says Caicedo has been even betterCredit: Getty
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Caicedo has been hailed as the best centre mid in the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
Against Brentford, Caicedo was on fire – creating two chances, recovering the ball 13 times and also having a 100 per cent tackle success rate.
Earlier this season Caicedo formed a solid partnership with Romeo Lavia, and has also played well next to Enzo Fernandez.
Chelsea’s midfield understanding of space and how to open it has been a key aspect of their attack – often dragging opposition players out of position to send a pass through the lines to Nicolas Jackson who has scored nine goals this campaign.
“We’ve not seen the likes in the middle of the park winning the ball like that since N’Golo Kante,” Cundy continued. “I’m not just talking about Chelsea, I’m talking about the league.
“Liverpool fans will say Gravenberch, and I get that because of the influence he’s had on their up-turn in results, but right now Moises Caicedo, wow, what a player.”
Since signing from the Seagulls Caicedo has become one of Chelsea’s most reliable players, only missing two games.
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It’s quickly becoming clear how important Caicedo is to MarescaCredit: Getty
Consistency which shows within his matches and does not go unnoticed by Maresca who claimed the Ecuadorian is as good as Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Man City’s Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.
“For sure, he’s now at that level, no doubt,’ insisted Maresca, with no hint of hesitation.
“Unfortunately now Rodri has an injury, but Declan is playing and I think Moi can sit at that table with that kind of midfielder.”
The PGMOL says Moises Caicedo’s high challenge on Pape Matar Sarr was not ‘serious foul play’.
Shortly after the half-hour mark, the Blues midfielder went into a strong challenge against Spurs man Sarr.
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Caicedo was not sent off for this challenge on SarrCredit: Sky Sports
Replays showed that Caicedo’s foot went above the ankle of his opponent, a type of challenge that has previously been punished with a red card.
Cristiano Romero was sent off for Spurs for a similar tackle on Enzo Fernandez during their 4-1 defeat to Chelsea last season.
However, VAR swiftly checked the incident and did not choose to call Anthony Taylor over to check the monitor.
Shortly after, the Premier League took to their match centre account on X to reveal why Caicedo was not dismissed for his tackle.
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The statement read: “VAR checked for a potential red card following a challenge by Caicedo on Sarr and confirmed the referee’s call of no serious foul play.”
Spurs scored two early goals before Chelsea came back to make it 2-1 in an entertaining first half.
Dominic Solanke opened the scoring against his former club with just five minutes played following a slip from Marc Cucurella.
Just moments later, Dejan Kulusevski struck low into the bottom corner as Spurs looked comfortable on home turf.
However, Chelsea reduced the deficit in the 17th minute thanks to an excellent strike from Jadon Sancho.
Caicedo’s tackle on Sarr followed later on in the half, with Kulusevski also seemingly avoiding a card for an apparent elbow on Romeo Lavia.
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Caicedo was seemingly lucky to avoid a dismissalCredit: Getty
Lavia was substituted at the start of the second half, with Malo Gusto coming on as his replacement and swapping with Caicedo at right-back.
Cole Palmer then equalised with a penalty following Yves Bissouma’s late challenge on Caicedo.
Moises Caicedo’s excellent showing against West Ham at the weekend was similar to an N’Golo Kante-style performance.
That’s according to John Obi Mikel, who has also predicted the Blues midfielder to become a future key leader for the club.
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Caicedo was one of the stars of the show in Chelsea’s win at West HamCredit: Getty
Caicedo was crucial to Chelsea’s success in their 3-0 away win at West Ham as he assisted Nicolas Jackson for their second goal of the day.
The Ecuadorian international put in a much improved shift compared to his last visit to the London Stadium, in which he conceded a penalty on what was his Blues debut.
His performance shows how settled he now is at Chelsea, with former midfielder Mikel comparing him to the legendary Kante.
“Best game in a Chelsea shirt,” said his Obi One Podcast co-host Chris McHardy, and Mikel replied: “Yeah, he was everywhere.
“We’ve talked about Moises Caicedo and how much we thought… Of course, he didn’t start his Chelsea career really well and a few games into his Chelsea career, there were loads of mistakes.
“Everyone was thinking, ‘Why did we pay so much money for this guy?’ Now we can see those performances that he was performing at Brighton and stuff like that so, an absolutely fantastic player.
“Everywhere on Saturday. Not just breaking up play, trying to link-up play as well, passing, everything.
“Now you can feel this is the Moises Caicedo that we all know and also when you watch him, when you look at him right now, you can see that there’s a bit of confidence there.
“There’s a bit of, ‘Ok, now I’m playing for Chelsea Football Club, this is my team.’ With the performances, with the way he behaves on the pitch, there is no sort of [ego]… Exactly!
“He’s absolutely fantastic, I watched him there, he was everywhere. It’s a bit like a Kante kind of performance, all credit to Moises and also for the manager to give him such confidence and to make sure that he believes in him.”
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Caicedo’s performance in midfield has rightfully earned him plauditsCredit: AFP
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Mikel compared him to Kante, one of Chelsea’s greatest ever midfieldersCredit: Getty
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Caicedo showcased his talent at the London Stadium
Enzo Fernandez captained Chelsea against West Ham, with the club’s designated skipper Reece James still out with a hamstring issue.
Argentina international Fernandez has worn the armband for the Blues on two occasions this season but Mikel thinks that could be given to Caicedo in the long term.
“Now he’s paid off with the performances and this is the guy that I think will eventually go on to maybe, probably captain the team,” Mikel added.
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Despite it being only his second season at Chelsea, Caicedo has made 55 appearances in competitions.
Starts have come in all five of their Premier League matches in the current campaign, as well as in their 2-0 Conference League qualifying first leg first leg win over Servette.
Caicedo could be set for a rest on Tuesday night when Chelsea host League Two Barrow in the Carabao Cup third round, live on talkSPORT 2.
Enzo Maresca has been presented with a right-back conundrum in his preparations for Chelsea’s trip to Bournemouth.
The Blues face the Cherries on Saturday evening, live on talkSPORT, in search of a second Premier League win of the season.
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Chelsea are eyeing a second league win of the seasonCredit: Getty
Chelsea fans could be set for a first glimpse of Deadline Day signing Jadon Sancho, with Cole Palmer set to play a key role again.
However, Maresca will be without his two senior right-backs on the south coast as Reece James and Malo Gusto are out through injury.
“Malo is still out and he is not available for tomorrow’s game,” he said on the Frenchman, who suffered a thigh injury in the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last time out.
Speaking on club captain James, who has been dealing with another hamstring problem, Maresca stated: “Unfortunately, Reece needs more time.”
Given the absences at right-back, talkSPORT.com has looked at how Chelsea’s starting XI could look this weekend at Bournemouth.
Robert Sanchez has featured as the Blues’ goalkeeper in all three of their opening Premier League matches and is set to do so again.
Filip Jorgensen started in their Conference League qualifying matches against Servette, but could miss out after coming off for the Denmark U21s during the international break.
With James and Gusto unavailable, Maresca could turn to Axel Disasi to play at right-back against Bournemouth.
The Frenchman is a natural centre-back, but has played on the right of the defence for Chelsea before, doing so eight times last term.
Moises Caicedo is another potential option for the position having featured there for Brighton, but he is almost certain to play in midfield instead.
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Maresca will not have right-backs James and Gusto available against BournemouthCredit: Getty
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Disasi could the man who plays in their absenceCredit: Getty
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Colwill and Fofana are likely to start in front of SanchezCredit: Getty
Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill have been Maresca’s go-to pairing at centre-back in the Premier League so far this season.
They are likely to start again this weekend ahead of Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo, who both featured against Servette.
At left-back, Marc Cucurella is likely to be named in the starting XI for a fourth consecutive league match over Ben Chilwell.
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Chilwell is back in Chelsea contention after being included in their 25-man Premier League squad list and is set to return to training after his exile from the first-team.
Romeo Lavia made his first start for the Blues in their 2-0 opening weekend defeat to Manchester City, but will miss the trip to Bournemouth.
Maresca said he is ‘very close’ to making a comeback in training after a hamstring injury, so Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez are likely to be given the nod in midfield.
Carney Chukwuemeka, Cesare Casadei, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Renato Veiga are other options, however it’s unlikely they will all feature in the matchday squad.
Noni Madueke will be hopeful of a return to the starting XI at right-wing after he assisted Harry Kane on his England debut on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old shone in Chelsea’s 6-2 win against Wolves prior to the international break as he scored an excellent second-half hat-trick.
In attacking midfield, Palmer looks to be the nailed-on choice for Maresca as he continues to be the Blues’ standout player.
He already has one goal and four assists to his name this season and, despite withdrawing from England duty, he has been in training this week and is set to feature at the Vitality Stadium.
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Caicedo will be hopeful of putting in another dominant midfield performanceCredit: Getty
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Palmer and Madueke were excellent together against WolvesCredit: Getty
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Pedro Neto could be handed another start for Chelsea at left-wingCredit: Getty
For the left-wing position, Sancho could be handed his Chelsea debut after signing on loan from Manchester United in a deal that includes an obligation to buy for a total £25million.
Maresca spoke on his potential inclusion during his pre-match press conference, but remained coy when he said: “I decide the first XI.
“It depends on the training session. Jadon is one of our wingers. I’m seeing the exact way I expected of him.
“He is a very good player in the last third, one-v-one, quality in the last third, so he is exactly the player we were looking at. It’s a matter of finding the right moment for him and to give him a chance.”
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Sancho may be set to make his Chelsea debut this weekendCredit: Getty
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Jackson has scored against Wolves and Palace so far this seasonCredit: Getty
Mykhailo Mudryk has made the most starts on the left of the attack this season, but Maresca could opt for Pedro Neto instead, with Sancho coming off the bench if needed.
Chelsea announced on Friday that Nicolas Jackson has signed a new two-year deal at the club until 2033 and he looks set to lead the line once again.
The Senegal international banged in 19 goals in all competitions last season and already has two to his name this campaign, as well as an assist across four appearances.
Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku have so far scored one and two goals respectively and can play as the centre-forward if needed along with Marc Guiu, although he is unlikely to feature.
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Here’s how Chelsea could line up against Bournemouth…
Chelsea’s hectic summer window shows no signs of slowing down as Enzo Maresca looks to guide his side back to the Champions League.
The Blues have already brought in nine players worth over £160million – and that figure could rise to around £300m.
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Chelsea have spent heavily this summer in preparation for the new season under boss MarescaCredit: Getty
That’s not even taking into account the £56m they agreed to sign Brazilian starlet Estevao Willian, who will make the move to west London next year.
Chelsea forked out around £600m on new signings in 2023, with their recent activity seeing them splash out well over £1billion since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover in 2022.
And fresh from their £51.4m purchase of Pedro Neto, two more high-profile acquisitions could be on the agenda.
talkSPORT understands that their £36m transfer to sign Atletico Madrid forward Samu Omorodion has collapsed at the 11th hour.
This could now see them bring Joao Felix back to Stamford Bridge on a permanent deal for around £43m.
Felix scored four goals for Chelsea in 20 games in all competitions during his underwhelming loan spell in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.
But his versatility in playing anywhere across the front line – as well as in a No.10 role – makes him an attractive option for new boss Maresca.
And it’s believed their pursuit of Felix will not affect their quest to bring in Napoli marksman Victor Osimhen to lead their line.
Should Chelsea have it their way, they could line up with a new-look front three, while Maresca could adopt a bold starting XI – without skipper Reece James.
Here’s how talkSPORT.com has predicted Chelsea could start in a radical 4-1-2-3 formation.
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Felix could return to Stamford Bridge a year after his loan at the club endedCredit: Getty
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The west London giants could also bring Napoli striker Osimhen to the clubCredit: Getty
Chelsea’s 2024 summer signing
Pedro Neto – £51.4m from Wolves
Kieran Dewsbury-Hall – £30m from Leicester
Filip Jorgensen – £20.7m from Villarreal
Omari Kellyman – £19m from Aston Villa
Aaron Anselmino – £15.6m from Boca Juniors
Renato Veiga – £12m from Basel
Caleb Wiley – £8.5m from Atlanta
Marc Guehi – £5m from Barcelona
Tosin Adarabioyo – Free transfer
Following his £20.7m arrival from Villarreal, Filip Jorgensen looks set to start between the sticks.
Marc Cucurella – fresh from winning Euro 2024 with Spain – will continue at left-back having been one of the club’s most consistent performers this year.
A centre-back partnership will likely consist of Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill, who started together in Chelsea’s final pre-season friendly against Inter Milan on Sunday, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
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At right-back, captain James would usually fill that spot, but he is currently out inured with a hamstring injury, while he is also suspended for the first three games of the season due to suspension.
Malo Gusto has impressed in his absence, but Maresca could opt for a different option in the form of central midfielder Moises Caicedo.
Caicedo was utilised as a full-back occasionally during his Brighton days, and put in an assured display at right-back after being trialled their against Inter.
Maresca waxed lyrical of Caicedo’s qualities during the club’s tour of America, where he said: “I love Moi. I have known him for many years. I know the way he plays.”
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This is how Chelsea could look this season if Maresca secures his top targets
Should the Ecuadorian find himself on the right-hand side of defence, Maresca could then deploy a lone defensive midfielder, instead of a double-pivot.
Caicedo’s change of position would see Enzo Fernandez feature as a No.6 ahead of Romeo Lavia, who is finally fit following an injury-plagued 2023/24 campaign.
Cole Palmer would then be shifted from a right winger to a roaming box-to-box role, with Christopher Nkunku slotting in as the club’s No10.
Neto would then feature on the right flank, with Felix deployed on the left wing.
This would see Mykhailo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling and Noni Madueke having to settle for a place on the bench.
And Osimhen would then spearhead the new-look frontline, with Nicolas Jackson to then be the Nigerian’s back-up.
Chelsea look set for a new style of play as they prepare to welcome Enzo Maresca from Leicester.
talkSPORT understands that the Blues are close to announcing the Italian as their new head coach to replace Mauricio Pochettino.
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Maresca is close to becoming the new head coach at ChelseaCredit: Getty
Maresca will leave Leicester after just one season in which they won the Championship to seal an instant return to the Premier League.
The 44-year-old previously worked with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City during their treble-winning 2022/23 campaign.
But he now looks set to take charge at Chelsea, and talkSPORT.com has looked at how the west London side could line up under him.
Maresca tends to play a 4-3-3 formation when out of possession, but when his team wins the ball, this can change to a 3-2-4-1.
One of the full-backs will invert into the midfield, with the two No.8s then pushing forward as they look to attack the opposition.
Starting in goal, Djordje Petrovic has been Chelsea’s first-choice for much of the season, but Maresca could look to bring one of his own with him from Leicester.
Foxes fans on social media have raised their concerns that it could be Mads Hermansen who follows, with the Dane strong with his feet and off the back of an impressive campaign in which he kept 13 clean sheets.
At full-back in the 4-3-3 formation, Marc Cucurella and Reece James could be the opted pairing on the left and right respectively.
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Hermansen was a huge success in goal under Maresca and could join him at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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James and Cucurella may well be the preferred full-back duoCredit: Getty
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Here is how Chelsea could line up when out of possession
Not only can they both play at centre-back, they can also feature in midfield to help in a 3-2-4-1 – Cucurella did so towards the end of the season and James sometimes played in midfield on loan at Wigan.
Chelsea’s main centre-back duo could consist of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana, who missed the entirety of the season with an ACL injury.
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The Frenchman impressed when he played in his first season at Stamford Bridge and may be set for a fresh start under Maresca, with Colwill also a young yet, talented prospect to have already shown his worth.
Starting in the middle of the pitch could be Enzo Fernandez, who has spent much of the campaign playing further forward than many would have expected.
The 23-year-old could play in a more deeper role under Maresca though having found huge success there with Argentina in their World Cup win in 2022.
British record signing Moises Caicedo, as well as the injured Romeo Lavia, are also options for the new Chelsea boss, but Fernandez’s passing and ball play could give him the edge.
This means there may not be room for Conor Gallagher in central midfield, with the 24-year-old heavily linked with a summer exit amid interest from Aston Villa and Tottenham.
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When Chelsea win the ball, this how they could switch up
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Caicedo and Fernandez are top midfield choices, but Maresca could go with the latterCredit: Getty
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This may mean no room for Gallagher amid speculation he could be soldCredit: Getty
In attacking midfield, the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season Cole Palmer is in line for an immediate starting role after amassing 40 goal contributions in his first season.
Palmer, along with Lavia, played under Maresca for the City U21s side and made a big impact as he scored 13 goals and assisted another six in 16 appearances.
Alongside him could be Christopher Nkunku, who endured an unlucky start to life at Chelsea amid various injury issues, but impressed when fit, scoring three goals in 14 appearances.
Mykhailo Mudryk may be set to feature on the left wing after an improved second season with the Blues that saw him score some crucial goals.
Aged 23, the Ukrainian is still a young player and given Maresca’s experience in youth coaching, this appointment could provide a huge boost to his progress.
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Palmer looks set to be one of the first names on the teamsheet under MarescaCredit: Getty
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Nicolas Jackson could be trusted to lead the line for Chelsea again next seasonCredit: Getty
The same can be said with Noni Madueke, who has also stepped up his game following a quiet opening few months at Stamford Bridge.
He ended the season with eight goals from the right wing, including a curling strike against Maresca’s Leicester in their FA Cup quarter-final clash.
Nicolas Jackson was Chelsea’s second top scorer behind Palmer this season, with the Senegal international firing in 17 goals.
The Blues have long been linked with Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney, but Jackson’s efforts in his debut season at Chelsea could be rewarded in the form of the starting striker role under Maresca.
Chelsea fans couldn’t help but laugh at John Terry wearing full training kit in a restaurant with Moises Caicedo.
Terry, well-known amongst the Blues as ‘Captain, Leader, Legend’, is one of the greatest to have played for the club.
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Terry celebrated Chelsea’s Champions League win in his kit despite not playingCredit: Getty
He won five Premier League titles, five FA Cups and various other honours at Chelsea, including the Champions League in 2012.
The former centre-back was suspended for their historic win against Bayern Munich but, iconically, wore a full kit in the celebrations.
And it still seems as though he likes to stay in full club gear at any opportunity, having been filmed wearing a full Chelsea tracksuit as he was dining at a local restaurant – complete with his initials.
Caicedo was pictured meeting Terry in a restaurant and posed for a picture with him, with the club’s present star meeting one of their past.
Chelsea fans on social media couldn’t help but notice their former captain’s attire and found it hilarious to see.
Taking to X, one with laughing emojis said: “Don’t know what’s funnier, Caicedo obsession with designer or JT being in a full tracksuit at a restaurant.”
“Full chels trackie at the restaurant,” a highly amused second added.
A third, who also included laughing emojis, said: “My boy always on that game boy drip.”
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Terry even wore a full tracksuit in a restaurant when taking a snap with CaicedoCredit: @majofloresm X
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Caicedo could be the next player to lead Chelsea to Champions League gloryCredit: Getty
Caicedo will be hoping that he can have a similar moment to Terry in a Champions League final with Chelsea, albeit not suspended.
He has endured a tough start to life at the Blues following his £115million summer move but has shown gradual signs of improvement.
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The 22-year-old has made 29 starts across all competitions for Chelsea this season, with the Ecuadorian assisting two goals.
Caicedo’s latest goal contribution for the club came in their 3-2 FA Cup win over Leeds, assisting Nicolas Jackson for their equaliser.
After mounting a surprise title tilt last season, with Granit Xhaka enjoying one of his finest campaigns for the Gunners, Mikel Arteta still believed he could find an upgrade in the centre of the park – and he splashed a Premier League-record £105m for Declan Rice.
Now, Rice is becoming an integral cog in the engine room as the Gunners remain firmly in the mix for the title.
What impresses Arteta most about Rice? “The way he dominates key aspects of the game,” replied the manager.
“First of all, it’s the way he reads the game, his intelligence, his decision-making on and off the ball, when to pass the ball, how to pass it, where to look, how to execute, and the timing of that, which is very, very relevant, especially in his position.”
He’s only growing more and more connected with his teammates. He could be the key to going one better than last season and finishing with the coveted trophy.
Although the Gunners rounded out the first half of the season with a disappointing defeat at the Emirates to West Ham, it doesn’t take away from what’s been yet another dazzling run for Arteta’s side.
Declan Rice has looked worth every bit of Arsenal’s major investment. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ASTON VILLA (3rd, +15 GD, 39 pts): A
Mid-season MVP: Douglas Luiz
Plenty of expert predictions for this season had Villa finishing well out of the title race. Manchester United great Gary Neville predicted a sixth-place finish, while former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher had them out of the top six. It’s fair to say precious few predicted a genuine title challenge, but that’s what Unai Emery’s men have served up. A staggering 15-game win streak on home soil came to an end just before Christmas, though they salvaged a draw with a 97th-minute equaliser against Sheffield United.
Villa’s inability to beat a number of lower-table teams this season — see Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Bournemouth and now Sheffield United — is their biggest blemish this season.
Three of those four games also came away from home, so if Villa are serious about a top four finish they must find a way to take maximum points when expected, especially against those who are struggling.
Ollie Watkins continues to turn in several all-action displays up front, contributing nine goals and six assists to date this season.
But the player most vital to Villa’s transformed fortunes is Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz who orchestrates every deadly move from midfield.
Luiz’s box-to-box displays have been something to behold as he breaks up opposition attacks only to drive the team up the field and thread the needle with aplomb.
Douglas Luiz is the midfield lynchpin driving Aston Villa forward. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
BOURNEMOUTH (12th, -5 GD, 25 pts): B+
Mid-season MVP: Dominic Solanke
Last season was a shemozzle, a mess, a rollercoaster (but not the fun kind). Remember the 9-0 thumping from Liverpool that saw Scott Parker sacked in August? Then came an ownership takeover, a slump to last place in March, before a late-season resurgence to finish 15th under Gary O’Neil, who probably deserved to win manager of the season.
They embarked on a stunning spending spree in the off-season, with a whopping net spend of €126.19m – sixth in the Premier League and in front of Liverpool and Newcastle United. Then they sacked manager O’Neil before the season began. The new owners had high expectations – but while there’s been some promising signs, things haven’t been smooth sailing. They were 19th and winless after nine games (three points), but have since turned things around impressively to rack up 22 points from the next nine games (W7 D1 L1).
After a 6-1 defeat to Man City they could have fallen apart, but instead they’ve been one of the form teams in the league to soar out of the relegation battle.
The big difference from last season has been Solanke’s form, with the ex-Liverpool striker hitting 12 league goals in 18 games – more than last campaign’s top scorer Philip Billing (7) managed in a full season. If he stays at Bournemouth (amid interest from Tottenham and West Ham), the Cherries could even threaten a top-half finish.
Dominic Solanke is enjoying an absurd goalscoring run. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BRENTFORD (14th, -3 GD, 19 pts): C-
Mid-season MVP: Bryan Mbuemo
It was always going to be a tall task spending half a season without star striker Ivan Toney, but Brentford have managed to survive.
Toney was banned from playing until early January after breaching the FA’s gambling rules, meaning the Bees had to rely on other sources for goals.
Cameroonian winger Bryan Mbuemo has largely shouldered the burden and has a club-leading seven Premier League goals to his name.
However, Brentford — and this will be a constant theme for a lot of these teams, so bear with us — have been crippled by serious injuries throughout the season.
Kevin Schade, who turned his loan move to Brentford into a permanent one in the summer, was meant to help share the goalscoring duties but has been out of action since late September with no return date set in.
Star defender Rico Henry is out for the season while right back Aaron Hickey has also been sidelined for several months among others.
The Bees’ form this season has also been quite patchy, winning just one of their first eight games before four victories in their next six. But they’ve now lost four in a row and six of their last seven, seeing them slide towards the relegation zone.
With Toney due to return in mid-January, it could be the boost Brentford need to kickstart their season once again.
Brentford have struggled without their star striker Ivan Toney this season. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BRIGHTON (8th, +5 GD, 30 pts): B-
Mid-season MVP: Pascal Groß
After the lofty heights of a sixth-place finish last season, high expectations had been set for the Seagulls in the 2023/24 campaign.
But a bright start in which Brighton won five of their opening six games is in the distant past, as Roberto De Zerbi’s side have tasted victory just three times in the following 12.
Although De Zerbi’s great entertainers have been kept scoreless just once this season, they have scored two or more goals just five times since a 3-1 win over Bournemouth in late September.
What is most alarming about Brighton this season is the number of goals they’ve shipped, which stands at 33.
For reference, 16th-placed Nottingham Forest and 18th-placed Luton Town have conceded 34.
Part of this is no doubt down to a backline crippled by injuries.
Star left back Pervis Estupinan had been out for some time before marking his return to action with a screamer against Tottenham, while Tariq Lamptey and Adam Webster have also spent time on the sidelines.
De Zerbi has also switched between Jason Steele and summer signing Bart Verbruggen in the goalkeeper position, offering little consistency in a crucial part of the field after Roberto Sanchez’s exit to Chelsea.
One shining light of consistency this season has been German stalwart Pascal Groß, who continues to be a vital cog in De Zerbi’s Brighton machine.
Another bright spot for Brighton is the goalscoring prowess of Joao Pedro, who joined from Watford for a club-record fee of £30 million.
And despite all of the things that have gone awry for the Seagulls this season, they’re still just three points away from the Europa League spots.
Joao Pedro (centre) leads the goalscoring charts for Brighton. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BURNLEY (19th, -20 GD, 11 pts): D
Mid-season MVP: Josh Brownhill
Burnley won the Championship last season at a canter but life in the Premier League has most certainly not been kind.
There was plenty of intrigue as to whether Vincent Kompany’s brand of football at Turf Moor would hold up against the best England has to offer and so far, the answer has been a resounding no.
Kompany took a significant risk going into the season with the youngest squad in the Premier League with an average age of 24 years and 170 days.
So far, it is a risk that has not paid off as Burnley sit 19th and have conceded the second-most goals in the league.
Burnley lost 11 of their first 13 games, achieving a win and a draw over fellow relegation candidates Luton Town and Nottingham Forest respectively.
But apart from that, there hasn’t been much to sing about on the terraces of Turf Moor although a much-needed 2-0 victory away at Fulham will give Kompany’s troops a needed lift going into the second half of the season.
Skipper Josh Brownhill has been one of the few shining lights in this Burnley team, providing a wiser head in a team brimming with young and eager minds.
Staying up this season will be a mammoth task but with Kompany’s remarkable leadership skills, don’t count out the Clarets just yet in the fight for survival.
Vincent Kompany has a massive job on his hands to keep Burnley in the Premier League. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CHELSEA (10th, +2 GD, 25 pts): F
Mid-season MVP: Cole Palmer
If Chelsea fans thought last year would be the worst of it, well, can only provide our condolences.
A fresh start under new manager Mauricio Pochettino as well as several of the players becoming more familiar with the Premier League had Blues fans hoping for the world.
Instead, they’ve been delivered an atlas.
Chelsea managed to ship off $AUD435 million worth of talent (per Transfermarkt) elsewhere including Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City) and Mason Mount (Manchester United) to name just four.
But the players brought in — at an estimated total expense of $756 million — have simply not lived up to the billing.
Defensive midfielder Moises Caicedo was the most expensive of the lot, joining Chelsea from Brighton for an eye-watering $187 million.
Yet the Ecuadorean continues to struggle to live up to his price tag and doesn’t look at home in Pochettino’s system.
Sure, Pochettino has been dealt a somewhat rough hand with injuries as skipper Reece James continues to spend more time off the pitch than on it while the likes of Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella are sidelined for some time.
Yet for a team that has been so expensively assembled and one of Chelsea’s grand stature, just six wins from 17 league games is simply not good enough.
One summer signing who has looked sharp since arriving is Cole Palmer, who looked to be a seriously risky piece of business at $76 million.
But the Manchester City youth product has delivered several crucial performances for Pochettino’s side and is cold as ice when stepping up to take penalties.
Despite Palmer’s emergence, it cannot be ignored that Chelsea are a serious risk of failing to qualify for European football for a second-straight season.
And if that happens, it’s safe to say Chelsea’s answer will be to throw more money at it and hope it fixes itself.
Despite heavy investment in the summer, Chelsea are still struggling badly. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CRYSTAL PALACE (15th, -9 GD, 18 pts): C-
Mid-season MVP: Eberechi Eze
After Roy Hodgson steered the club away from relegation at the end of last season, Crystal Palace rewarded him with a one-year extension.
It’s taken just 19 games for Hodgson, a boyhood Palace fan, to have the Eagles once again nervously looking over their shoulder at the drop to the Championship.
After just two defeats in the first eight games, Hodgson’s troops have suffered a massive nosedive in form.
Palace have lost seven of their last 11 fixtures, with only one win — against 19th-place Burnley — in that run.
The main issue crippling Palace is their inability to find the back of the net, with their tally of 19 goals the third-lowest in the league: only Burnley (18) and Sheffield United (15) are worse.
Talk is heating up about the Palace top brass eyeing up a move for Steve Cooper, who was recently sacked by Nottingham Forest, as a mid-season replacement for Hodgson.
It could be what the team needs if it is to surge up the table and unlock the attacking talent it possesses.
The dynamic duo of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze is one of the league’s most exciting on paper, but largely due to injuries they have not been able to share the field.
If those two can start to fire, Palace theoretically should pull away from the danger zone.
Roy Hodgson has overseen a worrying run of form at Crystal Palace lately. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
EVERTON (17th, -1 GD, 16 pts): B+
Mid-season MVP: Dwight McNeil
It’s worth starting with the obvious: Everton copped a Premier League-record ten-point penalty for financial breaches last month that dropped them to 19th and level on points with the bottom-placed team. Without it, they’d be in the top half of the table right now. But the players have responded brilliantly to that hefty blow, beating Newcastle and Chelsea comfortably in recent weeks to climb out of the relegation zone. They are doing so even after recording a €42.30m transfer profit in the off-season – one of only four teams to receive more than they spent. After narrowly avoiding relegation in recent seasons, the points penalty has ignited a fire in their collective belly and they look set to push well clear of danger.
The key marker of improvement behind Everton’s resurgence is their defensive record, a hallmark of Toffees boss Sean Dyche.
Everton have conceded just 25 goals this season, a figure equal with heavyweights like Newcastle and Manchester United.
Although Everton have improved as a collective, one star who looks especially rejuvenated under Dyche is winger Dwight McNeil.
The winger burst onto the scene at Burnley during Dyche’s tenure and the two are once again getting the best out of each other, with McNeil constantly whipping in dangerous crosses that have opposition backlines scrambling.
Despite a 10-point deduction, Everton have not been feeling sorry for themselves. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
FULHAM (13th, -8 GD, 21 pts): C
Mid-season MVP: João Palhinha
After losing talismanic striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to Saudi club Al-Hilal in the summer, serious questions were going to be asked about Fulham and Marco Silva this season.
Would they have the same goalscoring credentials? Will Silva tweak his team’s style of play to mitigate the loss of Mitrovic?
Could they actually replace Mitrovic and achieve the same results?
In short, no.
Summer signing Raul Jimenez and Willian lead the club’s goalscoring charts in the Premier League with just four to their names, followed by Bobby Decordova-Reid and Alex Iwobi who have three each.
However, Fulham somehow managed to score 16 goals in the space of four games, including back-to-back 5-0 wins at home over Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.
Throw in a recent 2-0 defeat at home to relegation battlers Burnley and you start to see why Fulham are just a very, very odd team this season.
One man crucial to Fulham’s hopes of a comfortable mid-table finish this season is defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha, who almost joined Mitrovic out the exit door but to German giants Bayern Munich instead.
Palhinha could have easily downed tools given the move of a lifetime didn’t come off, but the opposite is true.
The Portuguese start leads the league in tackles by a massive margin and will be crucial to Fulham’s efforts in the second half of the 23/24 campaign.
Fulham are all but certain for a comfortable midtable finish. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
LIVERPOOL (1st, +23 GD, 42 pts): A+
Mid-season MVP: Mohamed Salah
They’re scoring goals for fun, have the best defensive record in the league and if it weren’t for an egregious officiating error, would be undefeated.
Oh, and they’re sitting in first place too.
It’s been some start to the season for Liverpool who have won 12 of their 19 league games so far.
Unsurprisingly, Mohamed Salah has been pivotal to Liverpool’s success this season thanks to his 12 goals and seven assists in the Premier League.
The new-look Reds midfield has also impressed, especially summer arrival Dominik Szoboszlai.
Despite all of the Reds’ success this season, they have not been without their flaws.
Liverpool have had to come from behind to either win or draw on eight occasions this season and of those eight games, a goal has arrived in second-half stoppage time.
One side of that argument plays into Jurgen Klopp’s previous comments about his players being “mentality monsters”.
On the other hand, it is an unsustainable trend that could come back to bite Liverpool dearly.
Of course, the biggest question that faces Klopp’s side is how they will cope without Salah when he takes off for the African Cup of Nations with Egypt.
Given he has been involved in 19 of Liverpool’s 39 league goals this season, his absence takes away the team’s best goalscoring threat.
But Klopp is one of the best managers in the world for a reason and will have devised a plan to make up for Salah’s absence.
Just how well that plan works will likely prove the difference between winning the Premier League and falling agonisingly short yet again.
Mohamed Salah is vital to Liverpool’s title hopes. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFP
LUTON TOWN (18th, -13 GD, 15 pts): C-
Mid-season MVP: Ross Barkley
They’ve got no money, the smallest ground in the league, and it’s fair to say they were given no chance of survival. From the start of the season, they showed they were up for the fight. But the big question was always around whether they had enough quality.
In their first 12 games, they had six points and had scored just 10 goals. It felt like they probably deserved more – they gave Man Utd a huge scare and came within inches of beating Liverpool.
But they turned things around after that. Since then, they’ve scored 10 goals in six games and racked up nine points!
After being all-but-written-off in pre-season, they’re mounting a genuine run at avoiding relegation.
The Hatters have now won both games since captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest, including a genuine ‘six-pointer’ over Sheffield United.
Ex-PL defender Stephen Kelly told BBC Radio: “Sometimes it can be a horrendous moment like that that galvanises you as a group of players.
“Quality-wise I don’t think Luton are there when it comes to the Premier League and they can’t compete with the finances. But they compete with hard work, energy and desire.”
Maybe the magic touch of quality comes from Barkley, who has slotted in perfectly after joining from French first-tier team Nice in the off-season.
The former Everton and Chelsea midfield star is shining in a deeper role, picking up the ball deep and driving forward. His long balls and ability to draw in defenders has been crucial for Luton’s attack. The 30-year-old is undergoing a career resurgence – and it might just carry the Hatters to survival.
Ross Barkley is enjoying a career resurgence at Luton Town. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
MANCHESTER CITY (4th, +22 GD, 37 pts): A-
Mid-season MVP: Rodri
The status that comes with winning four Premier League titles in a row explains why this season so far feels a little below par for Manchester City.
It’s been a rather bizarre season for Pep Guardiola’s side, who found themselves in fourth at the halfway mark of the 23/24 season.
Some things remain relatively normal: Erling Haaland leads the golden boot race with 14, City are the league’s highest scorers with 43 and have conceded the third-fewest goals (21).
But there’s a feeling City, for the first time in a long while, might be a little vulnerable.
The absence of star Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has no doubt played a major role in that sentiment, while Haaland’s recent injury has lightened the load on opposition backlines.
Yet there’s one alarming stat which suggests those two aren’t the vital pieces to City’s title charge.
Instead, it’s Spanish midfielder Rodri.
Granted he’s not going to provide the mind-boggling assist and goal numbers De Bruyne and Haaland provide.
But from the three games City have not had Rodri available, they have lost all three: a 2-1 loss to Wolves as well as 1-0 defeats to Arsenal and Aston Villa.
City also could and perhaps should have a better defensive record, if not for the 4-4 and 3-3 goalfests against Chelsea and Tottenham respectively.
In fact, City have conceded goals in the 90th minute and beyond for three of their four draws this season, pointing to a serious concentration issue that has crept in for Guardiola’s side.
However, there’s always a sense of inevitability with City given they know exactly when to peak during the final run-in and simply cannot be counted out until it’s mathematically impossible.
Manchester City have not won when Rodri has been absent. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFP
MANCHESTER UNITED (7th, -4 GD, 31 pts): B-
Mid-season MVP: Bruno Fernandes
Let’s start with the positives. They’re seventh on the ladder and still in top-four contention. Bruno Fernandes is putting together a season for the ages when it comes to playmaking (more on that below). But it’s fair to say there are still big problems.
Ten times this season, Manchester United have conceded more than one goal in the space of 10 minutes or less. This month alone that has included two in five minutes (Villa), two in six (West Ham), two in five (Bournemouth).
Then there’s the attack. United have scored just 21 goals this season, which is the equal-third fewest of any team in the Premier League.
Before their impressive comeback win over Aston Villa, United’s forwards had scored a combined four league goals from open play in 18 games. The team had gone over 420 minutes without scoring before Garnacho’s opening goal against Villa. Big-money signing Rasmus Hojlund’s goal in the game was his first in the league … in his 15th appearance!
“Too many people talk about the strikers at Man Utd,” Garnacho said after the game.
United fans will be hoping their forwards can finally find some form and shut up the critics.
Thankfully, they’re getting plenty of service from Fernandes, who keeps creating chances at a remarkable rate. His expected assists this season stands at 6.47 per understat, while his actual assists is just three. If his teammates can stop missing so many chances, United can still make something of this season.
Bruno Fernandes is providing chances but his United teammates are struggling to finish them. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)Source: AFP
NEWCASTLE (9th, +12 GD, 29 pts): B-
Mid-season MVP: Anthony Gordon
It was always going to be a difficult ask for Newcastle to build on the wild ride all the way to the Champions League they enjoyed last season.
And so far, that’s exactly what it’s proving to be.
A 5-1 win over Aston Villa and an 8-0 thrashing of Sheffield United are distant memories as Eddie Howe’s side limped its way to the halfway mark, losing four of their last five games.
The depth of Eddie Howe’s squad has been tested beyond belief as the addition of a European schedule has placed plenty of strain on a playing group desperately short on depth.
Couple that with lengthy injury spells to key players like Nick Pope, Harvey Barnes and Sven Botman to name three and it’s easy to understand why the Magpies are suffering this season.
There’s also been the unwanted distraction of marquee summer recruit Sandro Tonali’s suspension for gambling, robbing Newcastle of a player deemed pivotal to their domestic and European hopes.
But amid all the doom and gloom in the Toon, winger Anthony Gordon has been a shining light.
Gordon wears his heart on his sleeve and it’s his relentless energy that has resulted in vital goals for Newcastle.
The 22-year-old has six league goals to his name but, most crucially, has started 17 of 19 games.
Having guided Newcastle back to the Champions League last season, Howe’s job is extremely likely to be safe despite the team’s struggles this season.
But given it is the first sustained period of on-field woes, it will be extremely intriguing to see how patient Newcastle’s Saudi ownership are.
Newcastle are struggling to emulate the highs of last season. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (16th, -12 GD, 17 pts): D
Mid-season MVP: Morgan Gibbs-White
It wasn’t anything close to the transfer extravaganza prior to their Premier League return last year, but Nottingham Forest still decided to loosen the pursestrings and bring a raft of stars to the City Ground, including star wingers Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga.
Despite the high-profile additions, Forest boss Steve Cooper couldn’t quite get them firing when he needed to and as a result the cult hero was sacked.
Looking at Forest’s results this season and it’s hard not to see why club owner Evangelos Marinakis lost patience with Cooper.
Things appeared reasonably bright for the Reds at the start of the season having lost just four of their opening 11 games and even then, those defeats were to Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool.
But after a surprise 2-0 win at home against Aston Villa, the wheels fell off for Cooper and his team.
Four straight losses — including a 5-0 humiliation away to Fulham which resulted in Marinakis hurling his matchday accreditation into the front garden of a home near Craven Cottage — cranked up the pressure on Cooper.
A 1-1 draw against Wolves only proved to be a brief stay of execution, as a 2-0 loss to Tottenham the following week brought an end to Cooper’s time at the club.
Former Wolves boss Nuno Esperito Santo has now arrived and although he tasted defeat amid controversial circumstances in his first match in charge, Forest looked a brighter side in a 3-1 win away to Newcastle.
Although Forest may privately harbour aspirations bigger than just survival, Nuno’s remit will no doubt be to avoid the drop.
Dynamic forward Morgan Gibbs-White will be vital to achieving this aim, as will the goalscoring prowess of Kiwi striker Chris Wood.
Morgan Gibbs-White (left) is one star who is set to play a big role in keeping Forest up. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
SHEFFIELD UNITED (20th, -32 GD, 9 pts): E
Mid-season MVP: Gustavo Hamer
The Blades have lacked a cutting edge (sorry) up front, but they’ve also been sliced apart defensively. They’ve got the worst offensive and defensive record in the league by some distance. In fact, after 19 games, they hold the second-worst defensive record in Premier League history. Their 47 goals conceded is second only to Barnsley 1997-98 (50 conceded).
But to be fair, expectations were low this season, especially when they sold two key players in Iliman Ndiaye to Marseille and Sander Berge to rivals Burnley. At times they have been a shambles that feels more like a bunch of individuals than any sort of united team. They’ve lost two games 5-0 and another 8-0, sacked a manager and need a miracle to avoid relegation. It’s been a sorry season.
Hamer, a 15 million pound signing, has been a rare shining light. He struck an absolute screamer on his Premier League debut and has impressed with his workrate on and off the ball. He is creative and courageous – which sometimes results in gifting possession to the opposition too frequently – but he has the kind of intensity and drive to win that is infectious. At least, Sheffield fans will hope so, otherwise it will be straight back to the Championship for the Blades.
Sheffield United are favourites to be relegated. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
TOTTENHAM (5th, +11 GD, 36 pts): A
Mid-season MVP: Ange Postecoglou (we had to!)
From leading the league in October, to managing to find a way to score goals after losing arguably the club’s greatest-ever striker Harry Kane, and most importantly playing an attractive style of football, it’s been one hell of a start to the season for Spurs. They’ve faced a major injury crisis that’s about as bad as any team in the league, and took out two of their star signings (and most important players overall) James Maddison and Micky van de Ven.
At the same time, they’ve been struck down by suspensions – like Cristian Romero, who sums up their season with his two red cards followed by a big injury.
Sure, they had a poor November, but overall the first half of the season has been more than impressive.
They lost 14 games last season. At the mid-point of this season, they’ve lost five.
And if Postecoglou thought he had already undergone a brutal test with a casualty ward at capacity as well as constant suspensions, he’s got a nightmare scenario in the very near future.
He’s about to lose star midfield duo Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr to the African Cup of Nations as well as club captain Heung-Min Son to the Asian Cup.
But the Australian boss has never shied away from a challenge and he won’t be about to do so now.
Perspective is also needed when viewing Postecoglou’s achievements amid the brutal hand he has been dealt when it comes to the unavailability of several of his first team stars.
When he’s had everyone free to play, we’ve seen just how good this Tottenham team can be.
Postecoglou has enjoyed a true rollercoaster of a Premier League season and we’re only at the halfway mark. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WEST HAM (6th, +3 GD, 33 pts): B
Mid-season MVP: Jarrod Bowen
Prior to the season, the big question surrounding West Ham was about how they would navigate life without talismanic midfielder and captain Declan Rice after his £105 million move to Arsenal.
Granted, a direct replacement of Rice’s quality was just about impossible.
But thanks to the summer additions of Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse, Rice’s absence is not as keenly felt as first feared.
Hammers boss David Moyes also began the season as one manager tipped as a likely chance of getting sacked and, for a brief period this season, it looked like that could have eventuated.
A run of five defeats in seven games heaped pressure on the Scot, but in typical Moyes fashion, he managed to turn the ship around.
Since that run, West Ham have lost just once — a rogue 5-0 hammering at the hands of Fulham — and have won six of their last eight to rocket up from 12th place all the way to sixth.
Pivotal to this uptick in form is the dynamic trio of Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen.
Paqueta leads the league in the most through balls with 19, ahead of the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bruno Fernandes and Martin Odegaard, and has five assists to his name.
After a slow start, Kudus has found his feet in the Premier League and has four goals in his last six league games.
But it is Bowen who has been the real shining light of West Ham, with his 11 goals to date proving vital.
His pace and ability to stretch opposition backlines is crucial to the Hammers hitting teams in transition and, as it stands, should be considered a lock for England’s squad at EURO 2024.
Jarrod Bowen is in sensational form for West Ham this season. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WOLVES (11th, -4 GD, 25 pts): C
Mid-season MVP: Matheus Cunha
When Julen Lopetegui resigned on August 8, many Wolves fans would have been forgiven if they feared the worst going into this season.
The relatively underwhelming appointment of Gary O’Neil — who was sacked by Bournemouth not long after the end of the 2022/23 season — did little to allay those fears.
Despite the initial fears, Wolves fans backed O’Neil to the hilt and that bond has strengthened over the course of this season.
The highs have been very high for Wolves so far, with home wins against the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City giving the Molineux faithful plenty to sing about.
But the one thing that has tightened the bond between Wolves fans and O’Neil is the fact the club has been on the wrong side of an alarming number of VAR calls.
It began in the first match of the season when Wolves were denied what looked like a stonewall penalty after Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic.
Wolves also had two penalty calls go against them in the 3-2 defeat to Fulham, with O’Neil even claiming referee Michael Salisbury told him he made a mistake in awarding one of the penalties.
It led O’Neil to state his team had lost seven points as a result of VAR’s ineptitude, but it also helped create a siege mentality amongst the entire club.
To an extent it’s paid off, with Wolves sitting 10 points clear of the relegation zone and only six points off seventh, the position which qualifies a team for the Europa Conference League.
Matheus Cunha, who joined on a permanent deal in the summer, is a big reason for Wolves’ improvement this season as are the goals from Hwang Hee-Chan.
Cunha’s four goals and five assists goes some way to explaining the attacking threat he provides for O’Neil’s team and will look to continue to be a nuisance for the opposition.
Fans are pointing to one stat that proves Chelsea will be more than happy to see the back of the year 2023.
The Blues have spent a whopping £600million across two transfer windows this year, but splashing the cash has done little to improve their exploits on the pitch.
5
Chelsea have certainly had a year to forgetCredit: Getty
Mauricio Pochettino‘s side lost 2-0 to Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, with Abdoulaye Doucoure and Lewis Dobbin firing the hosts to victory.
As a result of picking up zero points on Merseyside, Chelsea have slumped into the bottom half of the table and into 12th place – the very same position they finished last season in.
It’s no wonder the 2021 Champions League winners have ended up sitting in mid-table, though – Chelsea have won just 39 points in 39 games this calendar year.
No ever-present Premier League team from this season and last season has recorded fewer in this period (excluding Everton’s 10-point deduction).
Last season saw the Blues record their lowest points tally (44) since the 1987/88 season (42).
They ended up trophy-less for only the second time since 2016 and also missed out on playing European football this campaign for the first time since 2016.
This season hasn’t seen the change Blues fans would’ve been hoping for, either. That’s despite owner Todd Boehly bringing in former Tottenham manager Pochettino, who led Spurs to a Champions League final in 2019.
But while one fan base struggles, another over 200 miles up north is enjoying pointing out what they deem to be huge errors made by two of Chelsea’s summer signings.
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Pochettino hasn’t been able to turn Chelsea’s fortunes around yetCredit: Getty
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Neither has Boehly’s spendingCredit: Getty
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And Boehly hasn’t been afraid to put his hand in his pocket
Former Brighton man Moises Caicedo and ex-Southampton star Romeo Lavia were both wanted by Liverpool in the last transfer window as Jurgen Klopp rebuilt his midfield.
However, both opted to sign for Chelsea in the end. The Blues hijacked the Caicedo move despite Liverpool offering a British record of £111m.
Chelsea signed him for £115m in the end.
Liverpool also had numerous bids for Lavia rejected, only for the Blues to come in with a £58m offer and snap him up.
Rory Jennings can’t understand why Mauricio Pochettino isn’t being questioned for Chelsea’s poor performances
Lavia is yet to make an appearance for Chelsea having injured his ankle in September. He also suffered another recent setback in his rehab, whilst Caicedo has played 17 games in all competitions, making 13 starts.
But despite losing both transfer battles, Liverpool currently sit top of the Premier League table – and their fans think they’re having the last laugh despite losing the transfer tug of wars to the west Londoners.
“Hope Caicedo and Lavia are having a lovely time over there,” one Red wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
A second said: “Liverpool are 18 points ahead of Chelsea. A point for every week since Chelsea fans were laughing at Liverpool for missing out on Lavia and Caicedo.”
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Liverpool are flying whilst Chelsea sit mid-table
“Should be the last time any player rejects Liverpool for Chelsea,” a third added.
After the loss at Everton, Pochettino admitted his side needed to dive into the market and spend more, too, despite the club’s mammoth £434.5m spend in the summer.
“We need to talk and to try to improve in the next transfer market,” he said.
Chelsea next face bottom side Sheffield United next Saturday in what will be a must-win game for Pochettino’s side.
