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Celtic could be set to spend big this summer and make a move to bring a former fan favourite back to Glasgow, according to a report this week.

Celtic struggling since winter break

It is no secret that Brendan Rodgers' side are struggling by their usual lofty standards. The Hoops passed up a golden opportunity to retake the lead of the Scottish Premiership over the weekend after league leaders Rangers lost, falling themselves to a 2-0 defeat against Hearts.

It means that with four games left before the split they sit two points behind their city rivals, and the title could be decided by the final OId Firm Derbies of the season.

Such a scenario leaves Rodgers facing increased scrutiny, especially given his contrast to Ange Postecoglou's reign at the club previously. With accusations that the board have let the ex-Liverpool boss down on the transfer front, it all points to an unhappy camp at Celtic.

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By
Dan Emery

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That could of course change before the season is out, but given Celtic's usual dominance of the Scottish top flight, even a league win may feel somewhat underwhelming.

Summer changes as Hoops eye huge move

With just four games left of the first phase in Scotland, attention has already turned to the summer transfer window, and it could well be a big one at Celtic Park both in and out.

As per a report from teamtalk, Celtic are among the clubs with an interest in Scottish fullback Kieran Tierney, who has fallen out of favour at Arsenal and is likely to be sold this summer. It is claimed that 'several top clubs are ready to come forward with bids for him', with the Scottish champions keen to bring back their former star, who they sold to Arsenal in 2019 for £25m.

Currently on loan at Real Sociedad, the Spanish side are keen to keep him for another loan, but Arsenal prefer a sale. It is added that they 'will consider offers' around the £26m mark, but with just two years left to run on his deal it is unlikely that such a price would be forthcoming and they may have to settle for less than they forked out for him five years ago.

However, any fee even close to that would represent a record fee for Celtic, with their current biggest import still just the £9m that they shelled out for Odsonne Edouard back in 2018. With no player having commanded a fee from the Scottish side anything like that which Tierney's signature would reportedly require, any deal seems very unlikely to happen on a permanent basis.

They face reported competition for his signature from his former Arsenal boss Unai Emery at Aston Villa, as well as a series of Italian clubs, but Tierney could welcome a return north of the border should the opportunity present itself.

Despite a slight hiccup at the weekend, it is safe to say that Daniel Farke's Leeds United are flying at the moment. With an immediate return to the Premier League still on the horizon, the Whites are already focusing on keeping hold of one of their prized assets.

Summerville stands out for Leeds

When the whole team is playing so exceptionally, it is often difficult for one player to stand out. This is not the case for Leeds as Crysencio Summerville has been without a doubt the best player in his team, if not the entire Championship this season.

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By
Dan Emery

Mar 4, 2024

With fifteen goals and eight assists already this campaign, the 22-year-old has catapulted Leeds into second place, making a mockery of defences in the process.

There has been a feeling among fans that Summerville was always meant for big things with a last minute winner at Anfield in 2022 etching his name into the folklore at Leeds at such a young age. The winger has gone on to live to up to the hype with aplomb, now ranking as arguably one of the best youngsters in the country.

With Summerville a clear fan favourite at Elland Road, the news of Chelsea's interest in the winger has made for uneasy reading for much of the Leeds faithful. Now a fresh development could put some of these fears to bed.

Fabrizio Romano hints at Summerville's future

Speaking to TeamTalk, Fabrizio Romano has provided some clarity on Summerville's future at Elland Road and the news will be music to the ears of Leeds fans.

With Chelsea seemingly interested in splashing the cash on any half decent talent, there is no wonder why they have thrown their hat in the ring to try and sign Summerville.

The potential for a return to the top flight may be what has prevented any conversations about the Dutchman's exit materialising quite yet. It has been previously reported that Summerville is one of a number of Leeds stars in line for a new contract if the Whites are to be promoted this season, so perhaps he is waiting to find out what division the club are in before making his decision, which is surely good news for Leeds fans.

Aged just 22, the future is clearly bright for a player of Summerville's abilities. Whether it is with Leeds or elsewhere, there is no doubt that the winger is destined to be playing Premier League football next season.

Folarin Balogun has been given VIP treatment by MLS, with the USMNT ace enjoying seats on halfway and free food when attending an Atlanta United game.

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• Monaco striker enjoying summer break
• Failed to inspire during Copa campaign
• Watching domestic action in the States

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 23-year-old striker is currently enjoying a summer break. He was involved with the United States in their 2024 Copa America campaign, which finished in abject failure on the back of a group stage exit – leading to Gregg Berhalter being relieved of his coaching duties.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Balogun is not yet expected back at club side Monaco, with the Ligue 1 giants allowing him to relax and unwind after international commitments. New York-born Balogun is enjoying some free time in the U.S. and has made a point of passing through Georgia.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Atlanta United got the red carpet out for Balogun when welcoming him to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He was treated to some of the best seats in the house, which offered a perfect view of the field, while also being given something to satisfy any hunger pangs.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Balogun proved to be a good luck charm for the hosts, as they came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew courtesy of a brace from Norwegian defender Stian Rode Gregersen. Monaco have already been in friendly action this month and will be delighted to get Balogun back, as they look for him to kick on from a testing campaign with them in 2023-24 that delivered just eight goals in all competitions.

A club are taking drastic measures to try and keep hold of their star defender as Tottenham circle for his signature this summer.

Spurs want to sign another new centre-back after Dragusin

As confirmed by manager Ange Postecoglou in a press conference last week, one of the top items on Spurs' agenda is bringing in another centre-back.

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Emilio Galantini

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The Lilywhites did bring in Radu Dragusin from Genoa to the tune of £25 million, who endured a difficult full starting debut against Fulham last weekend, but Postecoglou wants more quality reinforcements in that area of the squad.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on Spurs signing another centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.

“We’re a squad that needs to develop, and we’re looking for that younger demographic. But at the same time you’re looking for guys that have played."

Spurs have been linked with some marquee options, like Everton starlet Jarrad Branthwaite, but also have their eyes on far cheaper deals.

Indeed, the likes of Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly are said to have admirers at N17, which would make plenty of sense given the Englishman's contract situation and the fact they could snap him up on a free deal later this year.

Another defender nearing the end of his contract is Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, with a report from journalist Nizaar Kinsella and The Evening Standard sharing an update on Spurs' interest this week.

Fulham readying bumper new deal to fend off Tottenham

According to their information, Fulham are ready to make Tosin one of their top earners to stop him from joining Tottenham or other suitors.

Liverpool, AC Milan and Postecoglou's side are all weighing up summer moves for the towering 6 foot 5 defender, according to Kinsella, and Fulham are willing to invest significantly in a new deal to keep him at Craven Cottage.

Tosin has been an important player for Marco Silva when fit and available, having missed the majority of early 23/24 with a groin problem. Pep Guardiola is among the 26-year-old's admirers, having previously called him a "fast" and "strong" centre-back.

Pep Guardiola says he will "understand" if Ederson chooses to leave Manchester City but if he does go it will cause him "pain in the heart".

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• Guardiola wants Ederson to stay
• Keeper mulling Man City exit
• Manager would "understand" if he goes

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ederson is reportedly keen on a move away from Citythis summer amid links with a Saudi Pro League transfer. The 30-year-old may face a tough battle to keep the No.1 spot ahead of Stefan Ortega next season and although the Brazilian was touched by Guardiola saying he would "love" the stopper to stay, his future may lie away from the Etihad. Now, the City manager has reiterated his desire for Ederson to stay put, but will have no hard feelings if he departs.

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  WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

  He told : "I’d like Éderson to decide his future as soon as possible. I only hope for him to stay with us. He’s a person I love, who I want. He’s a ‘porterazo’ (great goalkeeper). If he has to go… with all the pain in the heart, I’ll understand.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ederson has played 332 times for City since signing from Benfica in 2017 and he has helped them win a host of Premier League titles, FA Cups and Carabao Cups, along with the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. However, his powers may be waning as his error count increases and it may be best for both parties to part ways this summer.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Ederson's City side continue their pre-season campaign against Chelsea on August 3, before taking on Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley seven days later. They begin the new Premier League season on August 18 away to Chelsea.

Manchester United legend Jaap Stam believes that Erik ten Hag should no longer be the Red Devils' manager as he questions the team's playing style.

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• Ten Hag told to leave by Stam
• Mentions the need for introspection
• Man Utd backing Ten Hag for the season

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Last season, Manchester United had their worst finish to a Premier League season, ending the campaign in the eighth spot with Ten Hag only keeping his job by the skin of his teeth after winning the FA Cup. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team actively courted alternative managers before deciding to continue with Ten Hag, signing him to a new two-year deal.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ten Hag has received backing in the summer transfer window, with United investing over £150 million ($193.3m) to sign Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui. Stam has now openly voiced that Ten Hag needs to take the onus on himself to show the improvements in his side's performances on the field. The United legend also talked about Ten Hag's need to introspect into his own side.

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  WHAT STAM SAID

  Speaking on the 'Up Front with Simon Jordan' podcast, Stam said [via The Daily Mail]: "For Ten Hag, it's his third season at United – I think he needs to go. I think it's good he signed a new contract because he still needs that little bit of help.

  "He needs to look at himself and how last season panned out, I don't always agree with him in terms of him saying they played good football.

  "I understand that as a manager you need to be positive about your players and help them out by taking some of the pressure away. That said, it's also good to just be honest as a manager and say that your team played rubbish football.

  "He needs to step up this season, there have been a lot of changes made at the club with the staff so I'm curious how it's going to work out for them."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  The Red Devils did show a lot of improvement during their season-opening Community Shield final against Manchester City despite losing on penalties. Ten Hag will now lead his side in their Premier League opener on Friday evening when United take on Fulham at Old Trafford.

If Tottenham Hotspur were a ship, it would be stabilising after the abating of a roiling storm, with Ange Postecoglou's side fighting for Champions League qualification after slumping to an eighth-placed Premier League finish last year.

Top four is the lighthouse guiding Spurs toward a new era of prominence, but Postecoglou needs time to craft the team he envisages, having already established a solid foundation with an attractive style of play and some successful transfer additions, the likes of James Maddison and Micky van de Ven excelling.

Just as importantly, much deadwood has been shipped on, with Eric Dier ousted under new management after struggling last year. Van de Ven has taken his place in central defence and it's hardly panning out to be a poor move.

What was once said about Eric Dier

Tottenham signed Dier back in 2014, securing his services from Sporting Lisbon for a fee of approximately £4m, and while he was highly regarded throughout the early years of his Lilywhites career, he fell by the wayside in the late phase.

Dier amassed 365 appearances over a career of servitude and while he endured a bleak finish, he was certainly considered a top talent back in the day, with journalist Matt Law even reporting back in 2016 that Mauricio Pochettino had transformed the versatile player into England's own version of Sergio Busquets.

Admittedly, there are similarities; while Dier was almost exclusively utilised in a centre-back role during the later stage of his Tottenham career, he was frequently deployed as a fifth defender, tasked with build-up play and even studying the Barcelona legend's style of play.

Dier's rate of creativity has deteriorated as his career has progressed while his average passing accuracy has become more polished, emphasising the shift in focus that has come with a positional change. Notably, he completed just 79% of his passes during that debut term in Spurs colours. Now, he's averaging a pass success rate of 91%. Not bad.

However, the fact that Dier no longer performs in that erstwhile anchorman role speaks of a positional incongruity, with pundit Martin Keown even remarking that the Three Lions star was "playing in the wrong position."

Busquets, on the other hand, is one of the finest, most influential defensive midfielders in history. Aptly, Vicente del Bosque famously said: "You watch the game, you don't see Busquets. You watch Busquets, you see the whole game."

Bathing in an illustrious career with Barcelona that saw him chalk up 722 appearances, win nine La Liga titles and clinch three Champions League trophies – also winning the 2010 World Cup with Spain – Busquets is undoubtedly one of the greats.

His seamless ability to control the midfield and pick out passages that his legendary forward teammates would feast upon, always three steps ahead, was masterful, boasting a ridiculous career pass success rate of 90.7%, averaging 2.5 tackles and 0.7 key passes per game to underscore his immense calibre at the beating heart of the field.

Why Eric Dier was sold by Spurs

Dier enjoyed a relatively prominent role at Tottenham over the years but it ended in misery and the newfound fluency in defence suggests that it might have been worth shipping him on years back, with his performances last season contributing centrally to Tottenham's demise.

As per Sofascore, Dier completed 33 Premier League fixtures last season and started 31 times, and while he completed 86% of his passes and impressed in the air, winning 70% of his aerial battles, he was slow and ineffective as his side shipped an ignominious 63 goals throughout the campaign – the sixth-worst tally in the division.

Such performances proved damning, with Tottenham struggling quite significantly and pundit Jamie O'Hara singling out the player as he toiled and sank further into mediocrity during the 2022/23 campaign.

O'Hara said: "I don't think he should be starting for Tottenham. His time is up at Tottenham, if I am honest. I don't think he's good enough to play for Tottenham.

"He has been at the club a long time and he has been a loyal servant. But he just isn't good enough. Tottenham needs to move on. This is the future now."

And if he thought he might earn a fresh shot under Postecoglou this season he was gravely mistaken, completely ostracised from the starting line-up and even missing out on the squad as Tottenham lost against Fulham in the Carabao Cup back in August, only called into play following the loss of both Van de Ven and Romero in November.

His sole Premier League start of the season arrived against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and after falling flat in the late stage as the hosts completed a stunning turnaround victory, he would not play from the outset again.

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Dier had also been described as a “liability” by writer Mitch Fretton, making it quite clear that he was not going to be entrusted with an important role in Postecoglou's system, especially given his lack of mobility and progression, ranking among only the top 40% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 50% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

With Van de Ven utterly immense in his athletic performances and partnership with Romero, it's hardly looking like Dier is a missed figure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Angus Sinclair

Mar 28, 2024

Once considered in the same breath as Busquets as the anchor of Tottenham's midfield, Dier shifted into defence and then into the shadows of the fringe.

He may well revive his career in Germany, but he simply didn't offer enough at Spurs for too long.

Tottenham Hotspur appear to have streamlined their recruitment since the door of the 2022/23 campaign was closed, locked – the key thrown away – with Ange Postecoglou lifting the club back toward a period of promise.

It's nice that Spurs have improved their Premier League standing under new management, and it's impressive that progress has been made despite having to sell Harry Kane to Bayern Munich in August, but the real measure of development is found in that transfer business.

Postecoglou's free-flowing, interchangeable brand of football has won over a fanbase craving success, and indeed the Australian is in a good position to qualify for the Champions League, fifth in the table heading into the final stretch and nine points above Manchester United in sixth.

But this stylistic set-up owes much to the £43m summer signing of Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg, whose rangy manner, immense strength and speed and dribbling skills have supercharged Postecoglou's hard-running team.

Van de Ven has forged a formidable partnership with Cristian Romero, with this steely and dynamic new axis a far cry from the woes of the 2022/23 campaign, where Eric Dier and Clement Lenglet played prominent roles in a team which shipped 63 Premier League goals – more than every team bar newly-promoted Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest and the three relegated teams.

Why Spurs signed Clement Lenglet

Lenglet joined on a season-long loan from Barcelona but he flattered to deceive in the English capital, with his performances under Antonio Conte and then interim manager Ryan Mason leading journalist Jonathan Johnson to brand him as "a complete & utter liability of a defender."

But he had arrived to provide Conte – who had just led Tottenham to a top-four Premier League finish and joyed in the schadenfreude of Arsenal's late-season collapse – with extra defensive cover, having fallen down the pecking order at Barcelona, behind Ronald Araujo, Gerard Pique and Eric Garcia.

Left-footed, Lenglet arrived to add depth and shape to the backline, but he left Tottenham with his tail between his legs after falling by the wayside in his efforts to install some mettle.

Clement Lenglet's 2022/23 season in numbers

Tottenham's eighth-place finish in the English top-flight last season was a real low and made Kane's wish to leave more than understandable, if bitter all the same.

It was these dreadful displays that corroborated past criticisms from reporter Roy Nemur, who branded Lenglet a "defensive liability" during his time in Catalonia.

The fact of the matter is that the Frenchman is a ball-playing defender, purportedly suitable for a team challenging for a place at the top end of the Premier League, currently ranking among the top 19% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 16% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for progressive carries and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

The fact that Lenglet kept just one clean sheet across 26 Premier League appearances last season says it all regarding his effectiveness down the N17, with Romero, who featured 27 times last season, keeping six clean sheets.

There's a case that Lenglet was the worst outfield performer in the defensive third last season, even more so than Dier, who at least was trusted to start 31 matches in the Premier League kept nine clean sheets and was more accurate and commanding in the duel, winning 62% of his battles.

It certainly seems that every time Lenglet was not fielded, Tottenham's chances of stopping the ball from bypassing Hugo Lloris' net shot up tenfold.

While there were murmurings that Tottenham might return for Lenglet on a permanent deal last summer, at the dawn of Postecoglou's era, it was always unlikely that the club would invest funds into signing him, with resources instead placed in landing Van de Ven. Hardly a bad decision.

But the mere fact that Lenglet spent a campaign at the club and contributed to a nosedive that proved fatal for boss Conte, who was sacked in acrimonious circumstances, paints the full picture: Tottenham had meandered off course.

Spurs barely speaking to club despite rumours of deal being all but agreed

The Lilywhites have their focus elsewhere as it stands.

By
Ben Browning

Apr 4, 2024

One can't help but think that Daniel Levy and co might have been better off having a look down an alternative route. Hindsight and all that. Of course, it doesn't matter now; Van de Ven is an upgrade and a half.

But Lenglet still cost Spurs quite a chunk considering he stayed for just one season and didn't force a direct transfer outlay.

Clement Lenglet's salary at Spurs

Tottenham were eager to exploit Barcelona's financial strife and secure a deal for an affordable fee, with the Catalan club paying half of Lenglet's salary during the campaign he spent in London, according to an investigation by The Athletic.

Still, the defender earned a pretty pay packet at Camp Nou and earned a wage of £190k per week during his time at the prestigious outfit. Effectively, this means the Lilywhites could have been forking out as much at £95k per week to keep Lenglet in the squad.

Based purely on what Tottenham were paying, Lenglet cost the club more on a weekly basis than Richarlison, who earns £90k per week at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, illustrating just how staggering a deal it was to bring the Frenchman to the club, placing him in the upper salary bracket without even glancing at what was dripping out of Barcelona overseas.

With all this in mind, it can be inferred that Lenglet cost Levy almost £5m during his one-year stay, and that's without unearthing the intricacies and convolutions of any bonuses and additional clauses that might have bumped it up even further.

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It's an exciting time to be a Tottenham supporter and there's every hope internally that, with Postecoglou at the helm and wedded to Levy's way of life, things could start to look up.

But in order to ensure that the current campaign's improvements are not fleeting, an ephemeral burst of optimism, past deals such as that of Lenglet must be avoided like the most crunching of tackles.

Motta hinted McKennie could stay at Juventus, calling the American a "useful" player ahead of Serie A opener

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• Motta hails McKennie
• USMNT star linked with move all summer
• Juventus open season Monday

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Juventus' Weston McKennie was told a few weeks ago to find a new club. In an ironic change of fate, the American could play a role when the club opens its season against Como Monday.

  McKennie, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, has been linked with moves away from Turin all season – especially after he was left out of Juventus' preseason plans. Under new head coach Thiago Motta, the club looked set to move on from both McKennie and winger Federico Chiesa, as both were excluded from the squad this summer.

  McKennie's status has seemingly changed, though, as Motta indicated that he could play a role in Monday's Serie A opener against Como.

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  WHAT MOTTA SAID

  "First of all, McKennie is a useful and functional player for our needs," Motta said at a news conference. "Tomorrow we have 19 players to face the game, only 11 can play. I have the possibility to make five substitutions, no more.

  "We are in good shape, had good preparation, good training this week, with intensity, everything we want to see, and ready to face tomorrow's game."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This marks the second consecutive season in which McKennie has had to fight for his place. After a tough loan spell at Leeds, McKennie returned to Juventus ahead of the 2023-24 season to find his parking spot and locker gone, symbolizing the fight he'd be facing to get back into the team.

  He ultimately did, proving one of Juventus' best players last season. After initially backing up USMNT teammate Timothy Weah at left-wingback, McKennie then seized the starting role before ultimately locking down his place in midfield as the season went on. In total, he made 38 appearances for Juventus in all competitions, tying a career-high in assists with seven.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?

  McKennie and Juventus are set to open their season on Monday against Como. McKennie and Weah will also have one eye on upcoming USMNT duty, with the U.S. set to face Canada and New Zealand in September friendlies.

Manchester United have reportedly cooled down their transfer interest in Chelsea outcast Ben Chilwell despite troubling injury issues to Luke Shaw.

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• Man Utd & Chelsea involved in transfer talks
• The Blues had offered Chilwell to United
• INEOS not eager to match Chelsea's valuation

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to executives from both Manchester United and Chelsea have been engaged in discussions aimed at resolving several squad issues, with a particular focus on potential moves for players like Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho, and Ben Chilwell. The idea of Chilwell switching to Old Trafford was proposed by Chelsea, especially given United's struggles with Shaw's recurring injury problems. However, despite these talks, United's management has decided to press on with their current options rather than committing to a costly transfer.

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  THE EXPLANATION

  One of the significant factors behind United's decision to step back from pursuing Chilwell is the financial aspect of the deal. Reports suggest that there were massive disparity figures involved in any potential agreement which has led United to prioritise their own resources rather than engage in a deal that could strain their budget. Moreover, the Mike Keegan has reported that United's war chest is "pretty much empty" after they signed Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and they are being used as a smokescreen to raise the value of Chilwell, Sterling and Ivan Toney.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chilwell is left in a precarious position at Chelsea, with the prospect of a season on the sidelines looming large. Under the management of Enzo Maresca, the English full-back is well aware that he will have limited opportunities and must thrash out a transfer before deadline day. Sterling finds himself in a similarly difficult situation. At 29 years old and commanding a substantial wage, his profile makes it challenging to find potential suitors in a market dominated by PSR (Profit and Sustainability Regulations) concerns.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While United have opted out of the chase for Chilwell, the club has not entirely ruled out the possibility of other deals with Chelsea. Sterling remains a topic of discussion, with new United sporting director Dan Ashworth reportedly showing interest in the player. Ashworth's admiration for Sterling dates back to their time together with the England national team, where the winger's performances left a lasting impression. However, whether this interest will translate into a formal offer remains to be seen.