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The Blues are searching for a sixth successive league title and their chances of lifting it were boosted on Saturday by a huge win at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea made a serious statement in the Women's Super League title race on Saturday as they beat Manchester City 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to snatch top spot. It was a cagey affair from which a winner was extremely tough to call for the most part – until two goals in four second half minutes allowed the Blues to secure a huge victory in their bid to claim a sixth successive league title, and a first under new head coach Sonia Bompastor.

Until that deadlock was broken, it was Chelsea who enjoyed the better of the play in the capital, but City who were on the receiving end of the bigger chances. Those were thanks to errors from the Blues and they were presented to the visitors' most dangerous player, too, but Khadija Shaw, last season's Golden Boot winner, was surprisingly wasteful to leave the game incredibly even as the latter stages approached.

It was as the final 15 minutes began that Chelsea then grabbed this match with both hands. Maika Hamano released Mayra Ramirez who, after brushing off Alanna Kennedy with ease, finished brilliantly to break the deadlock, and then Lucy Bronze's intelligent pass to Guro Reiten became a deserved assist when the winger curled her shot around Alex Greenwood and into the bottom corner. It means these two title rivals swap positions in the WSL table and Chelsea, who still have a game in hand, hold a two-point lead over the Cityzens. However, with it only mid-November, there's plenty of football to be played before the destination of this trophy is decided.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Hannah Hampton (6/10):

  Guilty of some inaccurate distribution but kept City out.

  Lucy Bronze (7/10):

  An asset for her team both defensively and going forward. Great assist for Reiten.

  Millie Bright (6/10):

  A little too loose in possession but ultimately helped her team keep a vital clean sheet.

  Nathalie Bjorn (5/10):

  Struggled to contain Shaw at times and walked a thin line on a booking.

  Sandy Baltimore (7/10):

  This was her toughest test this season in an unnatural position and though she made some mistakes, she also did some great defending.

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• Midfield

  Sjoeke Nusken (7/10):

  Covered plenty of ground and helped restrict City in their build-up play.

  Erin Cuthbert (7/10):

  Aggressive and front-footed to win the ball back plenty.

  Maika Hamano (8/10):

  Always looked the most likely to create something and it was indeed her who set Ramirez through to score.

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  Attack

  Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (6/10):

  Energetic and direct to always cause City problems, albeit without a standout end product.

  Mayra Ramirez (8/10):

  Things didn't always come off for her but she kept City on their toes with her positivity and got the goal her efforts deserved.

  Guro Reiten (7/10):

  Struggled to get involved for large spells but took her big chance when it came.

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• Subs & Manager

  Ashley Lawrence (N/A):

  On in the closing stages to help Chelsea see the game out.

  Aggie Beever-Jones (N/A):

  Introduced as stoppage time began.

  Sonia Bompastor (7/10):

  Chelsea haven't been great in the latter stages of games this season but that trend was reversed completely on the biggest occasion on Saturday, which will surely please Bompastor. The coach freshened things up from midweek Champions League action and, with minimal substitutions, trusted her XI to get the job done.

With Riccardo Calafiori on his way, Arsenal have reportedly agreed personal terms with a former Premier League midfielder who recently impressed at Euro 2024.

Arsenal transfer news

The Gunners have been forced to be patient in the transfer market this summer and are only just getting going in the final month of the window. But that patience looks set to pay off, with Calafiori on the verge of arriving to complete his medical and make his move from Bologna official this summer. The central defender was a standout for the Serie A side last season, as they shocked Italian football by qualifying for the Champions League.

It could yet be two in quick succession for those in north London too. According to Football Transfers, Arsenal have now agreed personal terms with Mikel Merino as they look to bring the Real Sociedad midfielder back to the Premier League.

Arsenal could hijack deal for "marvellous" ace attracted to PL

He’s a man in demand…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 27, 2024

The midfielder is into the final year of his Sociedad deal and is reportedly keen to complete a move to the Gunners, though they are yet to reach an agreement with the La Liga club. Swapping Sociedad for Arsenal would cap off a summer to remember for the former Newcastle United man, having already played his part in Spain's Euro 2024 victory a few weeks ago.

Earning a reported £52,000-a-week, Merino's arrival would hardly break the bank at the Emirates and could quickly become an intelligent arrival to replace the injury-prone Thomas Partey. As Arsenal go for a third time lucky in pursuit of dethroning Manchester City, adding depth to their midfield may quickly prove to be key.

"Unique" Merino can replace Partey

With just a year left until the end of his current contract, Arsenal may need to replace Partey sooner rather than later, which is where Merino could come in. A player who can fill in at both defensive midfield and slightly ahead in the centre of midfield, Ben Mattinson even believes that his "unique" profile can replace Granit Xhaka a year after his departure.

Welcoming a player of such a profile could also lift the pressure on Declan Rice in what could quickly prove to be vital for Mikel Arteta's side. England fans saw at the Euros just how much at risk Rice is of being overrun if he doesn't have the right profile to provide cover alongside him. Merino could provide that cover in abundance.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says Kylian Mbappe must be patient as he looks to return to his best form after struggling against Liverpool.

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• Mbappe missed crucial penalty vs Liverpool
• Is struggling to score on regular basis
• Ancelotti says Frenchman must be patient

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mbappe's missed penalty at Anfield on Wednesday night condemned the European champions to defeat in the Champions League. The Frenchman's saved effort was the story of his season so far as he strives to recapture his best form as a Madrid player. Head coach Ancelotti has no doubts that the 25-year-old will deliver, but he says Mbappe must be patient in the meantime.

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  WHAT ANCELOTTI SAID

  Speaking in his post-match press conference, Ancelotti said: "It has happened many times that forwards have a hard time scoring. There is a medicine which is to be patient. It is a difficult moment for him, especially after missing the penalty. Everyone has to support him. He may be a bit lacking in confidence. When things don't go your way, the idea you have to have is to play simple. It's a bit like this moment, but you can't judge him for missing a penalty. All players miss penalties. He has to keep working well. We have to be patient because he's an extraordinary player."

• TELL ME MORE

  Ancelotti added: "Like the others, he fought, he competed, he didn't get many shots right, he missed the penalty and it's going to be a difficult moment, but he has the support of everyone.

  "Missing a penalty in a game like that, the player is a little disappointed, but he has to look forward."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ancelotti joins Jude Bellingham and Luka Modric in expressing their support for the former Paris Saint-Germain man. Even with eight goals to his name in 2024-25, Mbappe's expectations are so high that fans and pundits may never be truly satisfied unless he is putting up numbers similar to that of former Galactico Cristiano Ronaldo.

Leeds United have dipped into the transfer market to make four additions to their playing squad during the current summer transfer window so far.

Daniel Farke has added Joe Rodon on a permanent deal, after his loan spell at Elland Road, Alex Cairns, and Joe Rothwell, on loan from Bournemouth, to his squad.

The German head coach has also recently acquired Jayden Bogle from Sheffield United, officially welcoming him to the club on Saturday afternoon.

Their Championship rivals were said to be demanding a fee of £7m for the full-back, with it reported since the move was completed that they have paid a "significant, undisclosed fee".

Whilst Leeds welcome Bogle from across Yorkshire, the club have struck gold with one star who could return to the squad like a new signing for Farke at the start of next season – Pascal Struijk.

How much Leeds paid for Pascal Struijk

The Dutch defender signed for Leeds in January 2018 under the reign of Andrea Radrizzani on a free transfer from Ajax and initially joined as an academy player, rather than a first-team addition.

He only made five league appearances in his first 18 months at the club under Marcelo Bielsa, with all five of those outings coming during the 2019/20 title-winning campaign in the Championship.

His first market valuation on Transfermarkt came in October 2020, shortly after that season, as they valued him at just €750k (£629k) at the time.

The central defender then went on to play 27 or more games in each of the team's three years in the Premier League, as he established himself as a regular in the first-team.

Leeds struck gold with Struijk

At the time of writing, Transfermarkt values the 24-year-old enforcer at a whopping €15m (£12.6m) and that is significantly more than his first valuation of €750k four years ago and more than the £7m Sheffield United wanted for Bogle – who is one year younger than him.

This shows that Leeds struck gold when they signed Struijk on a free transfer as his value has skyrocketed over the years and he has emerged as a key first-team player for the club, which highlights his value on the pitch and financially as an asset.

Unfortunately, the Dutch ace missed the last 29 games of last season with a groin injury and that forced Ethan Ampadu to fill in at centre-back.

As you can see in the table above, Struijk caught the eye during the first half of the season when fit as the defender won the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air, whilst being very reliable in possession.

The left-footed star, who was described as a "cornerstone" of the club's future by Farke, could return from injury like a fresh signing for Leeds next term, as they have been without his talents since New Year's Day.

Imagine him & Rothwell: Leeds preparing swoop to sign £40k-p/w star

The Whites are reportedly keen on a deal to sign the Premier League midfielder.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 16, 2024

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Whites will stump up the £7m required to sign Bogle but Struijk could walk back into the team like a £12.6m-rated new signing ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

An Ipswich fan has revealed all about his clash with Manchester United legend Roy Keane after Sunday's Premier League draw between the two sides.

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• Ipswich hosted Manchester United at Portman Road
• Keane on punditry duty with Sky Sports
• Involved in altercation with supporter

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Keane was spotted angrily confronting a supporter after abuse was allegedly hurled in the pundit's direction at Portman Road on Sunday. Keane can also be heard saying "I'll wait for you in the car park" in a video circulating on social media as tensions rose after the 1-1 draw. An Ipswich fan, Neil Finbow, has now claimed to be the target of Keane's fury and has taken to social media to reveal exactly what happened between the pair.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Keane was known for his hot temper and aggression during his trophy-laden playing career with Manchester United before moving into management. The former midfielder spent 18 months in charge of Ipswich but was sacked in 2011 with the team down in 21st place in the Championship, something that certainly has not been forgotten at Portman Road, it seems.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  Finbow posted on Facebook: "New claim to fame just been offered out into the carpark by Roy Keane after a few choice words even Jamie Redknapp had to come over to get him away just ya average Sunday evening out." Finbow also offered some insight into what he said to Keane: "Yep did remind him he set us back five years and ruined our football club – I also mentioned he wasn't fit to step foot anywhere near our ground. Oh and I mentioned about him walking out on a World Cup and breaking [Alf-Inge] Halaand's leg and putting it in his autobiography I hate the bloke and that's been boiling up since he got sacked all those years ago."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Keane has clashed with supporters before while working as a pundit. An Arsenal supporter was hit with a fine and a ban after being found guilty of headbutting Keane in September 2023.

Jamal Musiala came off the bench to inspire Bayern Munich to a 4-2 win over Heidenheim in the Bundesliga.

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• Musiala comes off the bench to score twice
• Kimmich runs the show in 4-2 win
• Bayern remain unbeaten in Bundesliga

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  TELL ME MORE

  Bayern remain unbeaten in the Bundesliga after beating the struggling visitors in a game that became more difficult than it perhaps needed to be.

  The first half couldn't have been more comfortable for the hosts. They had 86% possession and 12 shots on target, and made their dominance count when Dayot Upamecano headed home a Joshua Kimmich corner in the 18th minute.

  But the centre-back went from hero to zero early in the second half as Heidenheim stunned the home crowd by making it 1-1. Mathias Honsak latched onto a woeful backpass from Upamecano to take the ball past Daniel Peretz and score.

  The sides were level for just six minutes, though. Musiala, brought on for Thomas Muller, scored four minutes after his introduction with a low drive that beat Kevin Muller at his near post.

  Michael Olise squandered a chance to add a third when he couldn't finish from Kimmich's fine pass, but Leon Goretzka made no mistake when his first-time volley found a way past Muller via a deflection.

  A late flurry of goals saw Heidenheim's Niklas Dorsch make it 3-2 before Musiala put a bow on proceedings with his second goal of the game.

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  THE MVP

  On this evidence, Bayern should do whatever it takes to convince Kimmich to sign a contract extension. The 29-year-old dictated proceedings from the middle of the park, completing 127 passes at a completion rate of 93%. He almost added a second assist with a brilliant pass through the defense, but Olise fluffed his lines.

• THE BIG LOSER

  Sorry, Harry Kane. The injured striker will wonder how many goals he would have managed against a Heidenheim side that allowed 21 shots. Another hat-trick surely would have been in his sights.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Bayern's attention now turns to the Champions League. Vincent Kompany's side, currently a point outside the top-eight in the league phase standings, take on Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.

Having lost Amadou Onana to Aston Villa earlier this summer, Everton were reportedly positioning themselves to sign a replacement who has starred at the Olympics, before suffering a major blow in their pursuit.

Everton transfer news

To their credit, even without a solution to their ownership troubles, Everton have spent well this summer. The Toffees have welcomed the likes of Iliman Ndiaye, Jesper Lindstrom and, most recently, Jake O'Brien in a move to hand Jarrad Branthwaite an ideal defensive partner for the long-term future. The former Lyon centre-back impressed in Ligue 1, earning a Premier League switch as a result.

The 23-year-old told Everton's official website after putting pen to paper: "I’m buzzing and so happy to have signed for Everton. I've been dreaming of this kind of move in the Premier League, with such a historic club. It's a very exciting move for me.

“Everton is a huge club with a lot of history behind it and there's a big future as well. When the transfer window opened there were other clubs in for me but there was only one club I wanted to go to – it was Everton. They’ve shown the faith in me so now it's my turn to show why on the pitch.”

Everton swap deal to get rid of Beto for "lethal" forward may take off soon

The Toffees could finally get their man…

By
Tom Cunningham

Aug 7, 2024

The Toffees didn't seem to be done there, either. According to L'Equipe, Everton were positioning themselves to sign Amir Richardson from Stade Reims this summer, having shown interest in the central midfielder earlier in the window.

Standing at 6 foot 5, Everton weren't the only club interested in Richardson, and a fresh report from Fabrizio Romano has now claimed that Serie A giants Fiorentina have won the race for the midfielder's signature in a frustrating blow for the Toffees.

"Complete" Richardson could have replaced Onana

By signing Richardson, Everton wouldn't have just been replacing Onana, but they'd also have received a player who would be more than capable of providing Sean Dyche's side with an attacking boost.

Not just someone who can screen the back four, Richardson is a box-crashing midfielder and a "complete player" as described by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Still just 22 years old, the Morroco international has had quite the summer of football too, helping his nation reach the bronze medal match at the Olympics and scoring in a 3-0 win against Iraq earlier in the tournament, but Everton's search for an Onana replacement goes on.

Ruben Amorim has addressed Manchester United's line-up leaks after his team selection was revealed well ahead of the Manchester derby.

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• Man Utd beat Man City 2-1
• Red Devils see line-up leaked
• Amorim opens up about leaks

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United returned to winning ways in the Premier League, after two straight defeats against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, with a 2-1 victory over local rivals Manchester City. Josko Gvardiol gave the hosts a first-half lead, however, Amorim's men were able to build a late comeback with Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo finding the back of the net.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United have regularly seen their line-ups leak this season ahead of matches, and the same was the case against Manchester City. Almost 17 hours before the clash at Etihad Stadium, Amorim's potential selection was revealed, as reported by , and that XI turned out to be exactly correct. Amorim has now opened up on the apparent leaks inside the club.

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  WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Speaking to reporters, the Portuguese said: “I know that story. I don’t know, I think it’s impossible to fix nowadays because you have a lot of people in the club, the players talk with agents. I don’t know, you can talk with friends, so it’s hard to know. It’s not a good thing but let’s move on and go to the next one and see if they find the next starting XI."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR AMORIM?

  Man Utd are evidently nowhere near finding a solution to the underhand sharing of information, although certain players have been accused as being the source on social media. The Red Devils are back in action in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals against Tottenham on Thursday and it will be interesting to see whether it happens again.

Leeds United fans would have accepted the odd departure here or there this summer, knowing that it was a likely outcome that their squad could be picked off bit by bit after not winning promotion to the Premier League.

Yet, with Georginio Rutter now expected to head for the exit door for £40m to move to Brighton and Hove Albion, Daniel Farke's men are set to lose Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and their sensational Frenchman all in the space of the same catastrophic transfer window.

This might well have been an easier reality to stomach from the point of view of the Championship promotion challengers if they all moved on gradually over time, but the sudden nature of all of their top talents leaving the building will be a hard one to take if you're an ardent Leeds fan.

The latest on Rutter's future at Leeds

The 2023 signing featured during Leeds' dismal League Cup defeat to Middlesbrough on Wednesday evening but that is likely to be the last we see of him at Elland Road.

Just hours after the game had finished, reports emerged that Brighton had activated Rutter's £40m release clause, an exit fee that was due to expire at midnight on Thursday.

Since then, Farke has all but confirmed the attacker will be on his way out, with the player saying his goodbyes to the club.

Despite this setback, the Whites have bounced back from bigger departures in the past and will strive to do the same here, with Raphinha's exit to Barcelona in 2022 another soul-sapping loss of personnel at the time.

Raphinha's time at Leeds

The entertaining South American attacker would swap Rennes for Leeds before the 2020/21 season, becoming a statement capture after Marcelo Bielsa's Whites had finally returned to the promised land of the Premier League.

He would be an instant success wearing Leeds white, with six goals and nine assists registered during his debut campaign, before taking it up a notch during his second, and final season with 11 goals fired in from 35 games, even as his side tried to keep their heads above water at the foot of the league.

That would signal the end of Raphinha's fleeting, but meaningful, love affair with the West Yorkshire titans, with a bumper move to Barcelona sealed that summer.

The Whites finally suffered relegation without their Brazilian "magician" – as he was labelled by former Leeds teammate Daniel James – when the pair played alongside each other at Elland Road.

Leeds didn't let their star man exit without getting a pretty penny out of the Catalonian giants first, however, with £55m sent the way of his former employers, making him the most expensive sale in the club's history.

Archie Gray's sale of £30m to Tottenham Hotspur this summer feels miniscule in comparison, whilst those at Leeds will be cursing the decision-making of those formerly trusted with overseeing proceedings that allowed a £40m release clause to be placed above Rutter's head, that now sees him set to move away to the Seagulls.

Raphinha's transfer value in 2024

Leeds will hope that they end up winning in terms of the major move, as £40m is still a sizeable amount of money to work with when it comes to luring new incomings through the door.

Moreover, Raphinha has struggled to settle in Spain since exiting Elland Road, so it could be said that the Championship outfit cashed in at the best possible time in that regard, instead of allowing his value to potentially deteriorate if he wasn't let go in his prime.

Therefore, the same could be true for Rutter, who might well be a flash-in-the-pan signing by Brighton, considering his past woes in the division with the Whites.

Finding himself in and out of the Barca first team ranks owing to recurring injury issues last season in LaLiga, Raphinha could now welcome a return back to England according to reports, with Transfermarkt speculating that his valuation for a club to snap him up would still be in the region of £42m.

That's £2m more than what Leeds are managing to get out of Rutter, despite the former TSG 1899 Hoffenheim attacker setting the second alight last campaign with six goals and 15 assists collected from 45 contests.

Leeds will just hope Rutter doesn't go on to become an established top performer moving on up a league, resulting in his value going up and up, way above the £40m that has resulted in the 22-year-old star departing Elland Road prematurely.

Not just Rutter: 4/10 star should never play for Leeds again after Boro

Leeds United fans wouldn’t be too sad to see the back of this dud away from Georginio Rutter’s expected exit.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 15, 2024

Bruno Fernandes has liked Mason Greenwood's latest message to Marseille fans on social media after scoring in the club's win in the French Cup.

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• Greenwood shared a message for fans
• Scored in Marseille's French Cup win
• Has now scored 11 goals across all competitions

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The ex-Manchester United star scored his 11th goal on Sunday as Marseille thrashed St Etienne 4-0 to progress to the round of 16 of the French Cup. Greenwood opened the scoring for his side before Adrien Rabiot doubled the lead before half-time. Luis Henrique and ex-Tottenham player Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg then two more goals after the break to seal a memorable win for the Ligue 1 giants.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With 11 goals in his first 16 games for the club across all competitions, Greenwood is now second only to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba who had scored 12 goals in his 16 appearances for Les Phoceens. After the game, the 23-year-old took to Instagram where he shared a message for the fans. Manchester United captain was one of many to like the post.

• WHAT MASON GREENWOOD SAID

  On Instagram, the winger shared a few photographs from the game and wrote in the caption: "Job done onto the next round."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD?

  Greenwood will now enjoy a winter break before he returns to action for Roberto De Zerbi's side in Ligue 1 against Le Havre on January 5.