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تحدث روبين سيليس، المدرب المساعد السابق لـ ييس توروب بكوبنهاجن الدنماركي، عن مدرب الأهلي الجديد بعد التعاقد مع فريق القلعة الحمراء في منصب المدير الفني.

وقال سيليس في حوار لقناة “الأهلي”: “توروب مدرب يتمتع بسمعة كبيرة على المستوى الأوروبي، عندما عملنا معا في نادي كوبنهاجن الدنماركي، استطاع أن يجري تغيرات كبيرة في عقلية الفريق”.

وتابع: “مدرب كبير وهادئ وأعاد الفريق إلى الانتصارات، فيما يتعلق بالعمل الذي قدمه توروب عندما وصل إلى أوجسبورج الألماني قدم عملاً كبيرًا”.

طالع| ملامح طريقته وقرار حاسم.. ماذا دار في مران الأهلي الأول تحت قيادة ييس توروب؟

وكشف: “توروب مدير فني يمتلك عقلية وفكرة واضحة في اللعب، قائد يستطيع يدير الفريق بشكل كبير، شخصية قوية ويستطيع أن يدير مجموعة من اللاعبين الكبار، بكل هذه المقومات اختيار توروب لكي يكون مع الأهلي هو اختيار موفق”.

وأكمل: “توروب يمتلك إمكانيات فنية كبيرة، يلعب بطرق لعب متعددة في الدنمارك، يحب يركز أكثر على التمركز في عمق الملعب، قادر على تغيير طريقة اللعب داخل الملعب عندما تكون الكرة معك، هو مدرب مرن تكتيكًيا كما نقول”.

واختتم: “إذا كان يدرب فريق بحجم الأهلي فأعتقد سيكون له أفضلية كبيرة في المباريات، وله رؤية وأعتقد سيحقق نتائج كبيرة، تحدثت مع توروب قبل أسابيع من تولي مقاليد الأمور في الأهلي من خلال بعض المحادثات لقد بعث لي بخبر أنه سيتولى تدريب الأهلي، تفاجأت بهذه الخطوة لأنه عمل طوال مسيرته في أوروبا، هو مدرب يحب التحديات الكبيرة والجديدة، وأعتقد أن سيحقق نجاحًا مع الأهلي الفريق الكبير بنسبة 100%”.

يحل منتخب فرنسا، ضيفًا على أيسلندا، مساء اليوم، في إطار منافسات الجولة الرابعة من تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لبطولة كأس العالم 2026.

ويحتل منتخب فرنسا صدارة المجموعة الثالثة برصيد 9 نقاط خلال 3 مباريات، حيث حقق 3 انتصارات وسجل 7 أهداف وأستقبلت شباكه هدفًا واحدًا.

بينما يحتل منتخب أيسلندا المركز الثالث بـ3 نقاط من 3 مباريات، حيث فاز في مباراة وخسر اثنتين، وسجل 9 أهداف واستقبلت شباكه 7 أهداف.

ويدخل منتخب فرنسا مباراة أيسلندا بدون أبرز لاعبيه كيليان مبابي، الذي عاد إلى ريال مدريد ولكن إصابته ليست خطيرة، كذلك تم استبعاد إبراهيما كوناتي قلب دفاع ليفربول.

اقرأ أيضًا.. النرويج يوجه دفعة إيجابية لمانشستر سيتي حول إيرلينج هالاند

وكان منتخب فرنسا قد حقق فوزًا كبيرًا ضد أذريبجان بثلاثية نظيفة يوم الجمعة الماضية، أما عن منتخب أيسلندا، فقد تعرض للهزيمة بخمسة أهداف لثلاثة ضد أوكرانيا. موعد مباراة فرنسا وأيسلندا اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

ستنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة العاشرة إلا ربع مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. معلق مباراة فرنسا وأيسلندا اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

تم إسناد مهمة التعليق في هذه المباراة للمعلق علي سعيد الكعبي. القناة الناقلة لمباراة فرنسا وأيسلندا اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

من المنتظر أن تنقل المباراة عبر قناة (beIN Sports 1 HD)

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

Nottingham Forest are now making enquiries over a summer deal for an “underrated” forward, who is expected to have an asking price of around £20m, according to a report.

Nottingham Forest gearing up for European adventure

Having managed to qualify for a European competition for the first time since 1996, Forest may need to improve their squad depth in the upcoming transfer window, and they have now started to identify potential targets in a range of different positions.

Despite missing out on Champions League due to the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea on the final day, the Tricky Trees may still be in a strong position to attract quality players from some top clubs, courtesy of securing qualification for the Europa Conference League.

Target

Current club

Position

Taty Castellanos

Lazio

Striker

Jarell Quansah

Liverpool

Centre-back

Martin Baturina

Dinamo Zagreb

Attacking midfield

Luis Henrique

Marseille

Winger

Adrien Truffert

Rennes

Left-back

With Morgan Gibbs-White being heavily linked with a move away from the City Ground, however, it may be particularly important to bring in new attacking options, who are capable of providing goals and assists on a regular basis.

According to a report from GiveMeSport, Nottingham Forest have a new target in mind who could fit the bill in that regard, having now started to make enquiries about a potential summer deal for SC Freiburg forward Ritsu Doan.

Forest are now stepping up their pursuit of Doan, but there could be competition for his signature from Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, with the Bundesliga sides known to be admirers.

Frankfurt are currently preparing an offer for the Freiburg star, so the Tricky Trees may have to move quickly if they are to secure his signature, with an offer in the region of £20m likely to be deemed acceptable by the forward’s current employers.

"Underrated" Doan impressing in the Bundesliga

The Japanese winger enjoyed an impressive 2024-25 campaign in Germany, picking up a combined 19 goals and assists in 36 matches in all competitions, during which time he also received praise from football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Not only that, but the 26-year-old is also willing and able to pitch in defensively, ranking in the 92nd percentile for tackles per 90, and the 95th percentile for clearances over the past year, when compared to other wingers and attacking midfielders.

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As such, Doan could be a bargain signing for Nottingham Forest at just £20m this summer, at which point Nuno Espirito Santo may have to bring in at least one new winger, amid recent reports that Manchester United are now considering a move for Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Newcastle United are said to be “ready” to make a move for an “international” level midfielder this summer, according to a new transfer report.

Newcastle may need midfielder if Tonali leaves

The future of Sandro Tonali at St James’ Park is up in the air currently, with no guarantee that the Italian will still be at the club next, following two seasons there. One report has claimed that Newcastle are willing to listen to offers for the 24-year-old, with bids of around £68.5m possibly being accepted in the summer transfer window amid interest from Man City and Juventus.

Meanwhile, a swap deal involving the Magpies hero and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has also been mentioned, with the Serie A giants happy to let the Serb leave this summer.

Tonali himself played down a return to AC Milan earlier this year, prior to the EFL Cup final victory over Liverpool, saying: “I have never ever spoken about it with my agents. And I know, from experience, that if you don’t get to that point there is nothing. And in any case, I am happy with myself here [at Newcastle]. I have found my line and there is no need to upset it again. I want to win for the Newcastle United fans.”

Newcastle "ready" to sign Saelemaekers this summer

Now, according to Il Messaggero [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are “ready to invest” in Milan midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers this summer, with the 25-year-old out on loan at Roma currently. Milan are believed to value the midfielder at £17m, which is too much for Roma, with the Magpies and Nottingham Forest potentially looking to strike a permanent deal instead.

Whether Saelemaekers is seen as a possible replacement option for Tonali remains to be seen, but there is plenty for Eddie Howe to admire about him. The Belgian has enjoyed a good season out on loan at Roma, scoring six times in Serie A, which is two more than Bruno Guimaraes has managed in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri lauded his quality and versatility earlier in the season, saying: “Saelemaekers is an international player, a good player who can play different roles. I needed him on this wing to execute certain plays, and he is doing well in interpreting what I want from him.”

Saelemaekers could add great energy to Newcastle’s midfield next season and beyond, with Howe no doubt liking the fact that he can shine in various central and wide roles, and he is a 14-cap Belgium international, which is no mean feat alongside some stellar names.

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At 25, there is a lot more to come from him, too, and while £17m could be a steal, his arrival hopefully wouldn’t be at the expense of Tonali, who the Magpies must look to keep hold of.

MatériaMais Notícias

da 888casino： Flamengo e Botafogo se enfrentam no próximo domingo (30/04), às 16h, no Maracanã, pela terceira rodada do Brasileirão. As duas equipes vêm protagonizando jogos agitados nos últimos anos e prometem disputar mais um clássico quente dentro dos gramados.

O Glorioso vem de seis vitórias consecutivas e está há onze jogos invicto nesta temporada. Um dos grandes desafios do time de Luís Castro para este clássico é ter inteligência emocional para lidar com os embates e provocações dos jogadores em campo.

+É na terça! Veja os times e regras para o sorteio das oitavas da Copa do Brasil 2023

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBotafogoVÍDEO: Lucas Perri celebra vitória do Botafogo na Copa do Brasil: ‘Dá muita confiança’Botafogo27/04/2023BotafogoMatheus Nascimento celebra gol em vitória e garante: ‘Estou aqui para guerrear pelo Botafogo’Botafogo27/04/2023BotafogoANÁLISE: Botafogo mostra força do elenco e deixa mensagem positiva para Luís CastroBotafogo28/04/2023

da blaze casino： A equipe alvinegra vem tendo dificuldades em lidar com as provocações e têm colecionado expulsões nos últimos jogos contra os rubro-negros. Uma prova disso é que nos últimos seis clássicos entre os clubes, quatro jogadores alvinegros foram advertidos com cartão vermelho. A expectativa é que os comandados de Luís Castro não repitam os mesmos erros das partidas recentes e consigam superar seu rival dentro do Maracanã.

+ Luís Castro faz projeção do clássico entre Flamengo x Botafogo e descarta favoritismo: ‘Não importa’

RELEMBRE AS ÚLTIMAS POLÊMICAS NOS CLÁSSICOS ENTRE BOTAFOGO E FLAMENGO

2019 – BOTAFOGO 0 X 1 FLAMENGO

Ao longo do jogo, Bruno Henrique mandou um “jogou aonde” para Yuri e Luiz Fernando acabou sendo expulso pelo árbitro no segundo tempo. Fora de campo, Jorge Jesus afirmou que os atletas alvinegros promoveram uma “caça ao homem” e Alberto Valentim respondeu as falas do treinador português.

2020 – BOTAFOGO 0 X 1 FLAMENGO

Victor Luís deu uma entrada no tornozelo direito de Rodrigo Muniz e acabou sendo expulso do jogo. O lateral foi denunciado pelo STJD e acabou sendo punido por “ação violenta”.

2021 – BOTAFOGO 0 X 2 FLAMENGO

Kanu foi advertido com um cartão vermelho depois de cometer uma infração violenta também em cima de Rodrigo Muniz. O zagueiro, assim como Victor Luís, foi punido pelo STJD na época.

2022 – FLAMENGO 0 X 1 BOTAFOGO

O clássico contou com muitas provocações de Bruno Henrique e Gabriel Barbosa. Os jogadores alvinegros, no entanto, souberam ter inteligência emocional para conquistarem uma importante vitória no Mané Garrincha.

2023 – BOTAFOGO 0 X 1 FLAMENGO

Enfrentando um time repleto de jovens, os comandados de Luís Castro entraram muito pilhados em campo. Tiquinho Soares e Marçal, dois nomes experientes do elenco, acabaram sendo expulsos por reclamações excessivas e ambos foram punidos pelo TDJ-RJ.

+Flamengo x Botafogo: ingressos disponíveis para torcida alvinegra; saiba como comprar

No segundo tempo do jogo entre Botafogo e Ypirangana última quinta-feira pela Copa do Brasil, os torcedores presentes no Nilton Santos cantavam nas arquibancadas que “domingo é guerra”. Cabe aos jogadores alvinegros terem inteligência emocional para não cometerem os mesmos erros dos jogos anteriores e conquistarem, diante do Flamengo no Maracanã, sua sétima vitória consecutiva na temporada.

Tottenham ace Mikey Moore converted from the spot to give England U-19s a share of the spoils in their European Championship opener against Norway.

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Article continues below

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• Three goals in frenetic first half
• England dominated the ball, but Norway broke at pace
• Mikey Moore penalty ties the game in 79th minute

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• TELL ME MORE

  The game set into an entertaining and frenetic pattern from the off. The young Three Lions dominated possession, and were occasionally able to break down a steadfast low block from the Norwegians. When England gave up possession, Norway broke both accurately and at pace.

  England took the lead on the 11th minute, with Kadan Young striding through the Norway half before finding fellow winger Tom Watson open at the edge of the box. The Brighton youngster's low driven effort deflected past Daniel Gjerde Sætren and into the roof of the net.

  It took Norway just seven minutes to respond, as Hamburg winger Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit drove at the England defence, skipping past two defenders and ploughing past Tommy Setford at the near post.

  Both teams created decent chances for the remainder of the first 45. Norway in particular were unlucky not to take the lead when Setford produced a smart save from point-blank range, and Sondre Granaas struck the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

  Granaas had his moment, on the strike of halftime, when he coolly volleyed home a perfectly-weighted ball from Røssing-Lelesiit.

  The pace slowed in the second half, as Norway seemed more content to soak up England's pressure without pushing for a third. Snatched opportunities from Watson, and captain Moore did little to trouble Gjerde Sætren, and England failed to capitalise on a number of dead-ball opportunities.

  Just as England looked to be running out of ideas, they received a lifeline. Norway failed to clear their lines, Shumaira Mhueka broke onto a loose ball on the box and was tripped by Mathias Øren. Moore blasted the spot kick home in the 79th minute.

  Norway will rue a missed opportunity in the final knockings, as a brilliant last-ditch tackle by Caleb Khorpa denied Jesper Reitan-Sunde a tap-in in the 89th minute. Worringly, Moore appeared to take a heavy fall over his right ankle in the final minutes of added on time.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The ease with which Norway broke on the England defence will be a cause for concern. The Three Lions did not concede a single goal during their six qualification games for the tournament.

• THE MVP

  Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit: Unfortunately, a knock picked up in the first half prematurely called time on the winger's day, as he was pulled off the pitch in the 55th minute. He was clearly disappointed, and who could blame him? The Hamburg prospect had the measure of the England defence, displaying the ability to go down the line and cut in from his position on the left flank. Took his goal, and set up the second brilliantly.

• THE BIG LOSER

  Mathias Øren: The Norwegian centre half had a solid day at the office until giving away the penalty. It appeared the youngster lost his head following the decision, receiving a booking for dissent and getting the hook shortly thereafter.

Arsenal are now very keen on signing a “fantastic” £39m striker, but there is set to be competition for his signature from a number of rival Premier League clubs, according to a report.

Injury problems hamper Gunners' title bid

Following Liverpool’s late 2-1 victory against West Ham United, the Gunners’ feint Premier League title hopes have dissipated, as the Reds are now 13 points clear at the top of the table with just six games left to play.

Mikel Arteta may feel aggrieved by the injury issues he’s been forced to endure this season, having been without an out-and-out striker since February, but his side are set for an exciting end to the campaign regardless, following the emphatic 3-0 win against Real Madrid.

The job is by no means done yet, but Arteta’s side have one foot in the Champions League semi-final, so there is still a huge opportunity to make a success out of the campaign, despite it looking likely the Gunners will finish second in the Premier League for the third season in a row.

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That said, Arteta will be keen to avoid a repeat next season, which means a new striker may be required this summer, and a report from Caught Offside has now revealed that Arsenal are very keen on signing Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

The north Londoners hold a serious interest in Vlahovic, and they could be willing to submit a €45m (£39m) bid for his services, although Juventus are ideally looking to hold out for around €55m (£48m).

The Italian club are willing to sanction the Serbian’s departure, given the financial burden of his huge wages, and there is widespread interest from the Premier League, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United also in the picture.

"Fantastic" Vlahovic back in form for Juventus

The Belgrade-born striker hasn’t been overly prolific for Juventus this season, scoring nine goals in the Serie A, but he returned to form against Lecce at the weekend, assisting both of his side’s goals in a 2-1 triumph.

The 25-year-old has been impressing in Italy for quite some time, with manager Igor Tudor previously stating he is the “best” striker in the Serie A, ahead of Victor Osimhen, who has also been outlined as a potential target for the Gunners.

Not only that, but the Juventus marksman has been lauded as “fantastic” by members of the media in the past, so there are clear signs he could be a success at the Emirates Stadium.

However, Vlahovic’s patchy goal record this season indicates Arsenal should probably bring in a different striker this summer, and there is no shortage of exciting options on the shortlist, with Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko also of interest.

Manchester City and Pep Guardiola could sanction the departure of an “incredible” £300,000-a-week player this summer, as the club plan an overhaul of the squad, according to a Sky Sports journalist.

Man City reach seven FA Cup semi-finals in a row

The Blues secured their place in the last four of England’s oldest competition on Sunday afternoon, as they came from a goal down to beat AFC Bournemouth 2-1. The FA Cup represents City’s only chance of winning silverware this season, and Guardiola believes his side were “outstanding” in their win over the Cherries.

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“It was harder for them [Bournemouth]. We played an outstanding game and had incredible chances but missed a penalty. We conceded with one chance we gave away. Our approach was magnificent. Seven times in a row in the semi-final in the FA Cup, no team has done it, and it will be difficult for any other to do what these legendary players, the new ones and the old ones, will have done,” Guardiola told the BBC.

Pep was then asked about City reaching the FA Cup semi-finals for a seventh consecutive season, and he labelled it an “unbelievable” achievement.

“It is unbelievable. The way we competed today compared to the way we played in the first game here [in the Premier League]. I was not good enough to overcome that situation then. We were sloppy for many games, and I was not able to let them realise is what they have done today. For example, Brighton was a difficult game; we didn’t play our best, but we fought. This is what had to happen.”

Man City could sanction Grealish exit as Pep plans busy summer

Despite possible success in the FA Cup, it has been a poor campaign for the Blues, and therefore, there is expected to be plenty of incomings and outgoings come the summer.

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Man City could look to sell Jack Grealish this summer as the Blues plan a busy summer of change.

Plettenberg states that City are planning a squad overhaul in the summer, and with them holding an interest in players such as Florian Wirtz and Hugo Larsson, the likes of İlkay Gündoğan and Kevin De Bruyne are likely departures when their contracts expire, while Grealish could also be moved on despite his not ending until 2026.

Grealish, who earns £300,000 a week at the Etihad Stadium, has struggled for regular game time this season, playing just 16 times in the Premier League, six of which have been starts, and the last one came in the defeat to Aston Villa back in December.

Despite the lack of game time, Guardiola has continued to heap praise on the Englishman, labelling him “incredible”.

Apps

27

Starts

14

Goals

2

Assists

5

“I want him to make goals and assists, and he does too, but it’s not about that. It’s about his contribution without the ball and what he can produce for the other ones. We didn’t sign Jack Grealish for the incredible goals or assists at Aston Villa. It was for another reason. He competes with top, top players as well, and he knows it perfectly. He never complains about that.”

Who are their openers? Their third and fourth bowlers? And who might their coach be after Stuart Law finishes his term?

Varun Shetty03-Nov-2018Is there even a race for the opening spots?
Chris Gayle played in the World Cup Qualifier but has since been jetting around the world to play various T20 leagues. He has been told he won’t be an automatic pick for the 2019 World Cup, though the management indicated he would be invaluable if he made the team.West Indies have maintained that the absence of key players has opened doors for others, but they haven’t had a problem of plenty so far. Because Evin Lewis withdrew from the India tour, West Indies had two vacancies at the top of the order. Kieran Powell and Chandrapaul Hemraj had the most time there, and Rovman Powell got a shot as opener in the last game. Neither of them did enough to push either Gayle or Lewis, who, remain West Indies’ most successful opening pair in recent times. Does this mean they come back in even if they don’t have match time before the World Cup? Or will the series against Bangladesh and England throw up other contenders?What do you do with Marlon Samuels?
West Indies coach Stuart Law said Samuels’ role on the India tour was a new one: to negotiate spin in the middle overs, and to mentor the youngsters. While the second responsibility is impossible to assess from the outside, it is easy to say he failed in fulfilling his first role in this series. Samuels made only 64 runs in five innings and was out to spinners in three out of five innings.His lack of runs stood out in a middle order that was carried by Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer, whose runs could have tilted more games in West Indies’ favour if they were complemented by Samuels’ contributions.The year of the last World Cup – 2015 – was among Samuels’ best; he made 601 runs in 15 innings. He had a good 2016 as well, but since the start of 2017, Samuels has made only two fifties in 17 innings. Both of those came fairly recently – at the World Cup Qualifier – but what does West Indies do with someone who has played four World Cups but averages less than 25 in the last two years?Andre Russell goes through his warm-up sprints during team training•Peter Della PennaWill Andre Russell be picked if he can’t bowl?
There is little doubt that a fit Andre Russell walks into West Indies’ XI, whether he has had match practice or not. Russell played regularly in the Caribbean Premier League this year and contributed with bat and ball; he took a hat-trick and made a 40-ball hundred in one match, what will probably be the greatest all-round performance in T20s for a long time. But Russell is not yet fit enough to play as an allrounder in 50-over games.Should that be the case in May, will West Indies still pick him? At the moment, if West Indies choose to go that way, Rovman Powell would lose his place in the middle order. Ironically, that would be almost a like-for-like replacement, considering Powell is also an allrounder who now plays as a batsman in ODIs. He was also described recently by their coach as West Indies’ most improved limited-overs player. Will he lose his place if Russell is fit enough to play as a batsman? And what happens if Darren Bravo is back in the scheme of things by then?Who are West Indies’ fourth and fifth bowlers?
West Indies will be a little worried about their recent bowling performances. Both against India and Bangladesh, they struggled to settle into a bowling combination.Jason Holder, of course, is a constant. Without being phenomenal, Ashley Nurse has done a reasonable enough holding job for him to be the main spinner, and Kemar Roach is the best active ODI bowler they have. Apart from these three, West Indies have tried Alzarri Joseph, Devendra Bishoo, Sheldon Cottrell, Keemo Paul, Oshane Thomas, Obed McCoy, and Fabian Allen. And that is across eight ODIs. Is there still time for experiments?The leadership question
West Indies are used to players backing out or being unavailable for series, but the one thing they have managed to keep constant is their captain. Jason Holder is now about four years into the role. Off the field, they have come close, with Law holding the head coach position for close to two years.However, Law has resigned and his tenure will end after the tour of Bangladesh. It will mark the end of a stint during which West Indies not only broke their freefall, but also managed to nudge upwards again. Law admitted the timing of his exit was harsh in the lead-up to such a big tournament.It will be a challenge for both the players and the new coach, particularly if the coach isn’t one who has been promoted internally. The board will have to give serious thought to how they go about the transition, which will not be easy considering all the other questions they have to ponder with just over half-a-year remaining.

da lvbet： Chelsea have now overtaken one Premier League rival in the race to sign a “world-class” striker, who has a release clause of £71m, according to a report.

Chelsea's top four hopes take blow at the Emirates

da brwin： After a very strong start to the Premier League season, the Blues’ form has taken a nosedive since the turn of the year, and they now have a real battle on their hands to finish in the top four and secure Champions League football for the 2025-26 campaign.

A 1-0 defeat away at Arsenal was the latest poor result for Enzo Maresca’s side, who struggled to produce any real chances in a drab affair at the Emirates Stadium, with Mikel Merino’s first-half goal for the Gunners proving to be the decisive moment.

Pedro Neto was starved of service in the unfavoured position of striker, with the 25-year-old leading the line due to the absence of Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu, who remain sidelined with injuries.

Related Chelsea also enquire over "monster" rival star alongside Mainoo interest

Enzo Maresca is plotting an ambitious swoop…

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Mar 16, 2025

The lack of striker options could be a sign Maresca needs to bring in a top forward in the summer transfer window, and there has now been a promising update on Chelsea’s pursuit of Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram.

According to a report from Football Insider, the Blues have now overtaken Premier League rivals Liverpool in the race for Thuram, but there could be fierce competition from Arsenal, as the Gunners have also moved ahead of the league leaders.

Should any of the three Premier League clubs decide to formalise their interest with an offer, it could take a huge bid to prise the striker away from Inter, given that he has a £71m release clause incuded in his contract, although that could soon change.

Inter are currently trying to tie the Frenchman down to a new deal, given that he is a key part of their future plans, but it remains to be seen whether the widespread interest from the Premier League turns his head.

"World-class" Thuram impressing in Serie A and Europe

The 27-year-old was on fire in front of goal at the beginning of the campaign, and he received high praise from journalist Zach Lowy after scoring in his side’s 2-0 victory over Como back in December.

There are signs the Italy-born striker is now entering his prime, given that his attacking numbers have improved dramatically since moving to the Serie A, having previously played for Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany and Guingamp in France.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Serie A

63

26

12

Bundesliga

111

34

16

Ligue 1

64

12

2

Goals in both legs against Feyenoord in Inter’s recent Champions League round of 16 clash demonstrate Thuram has what it takes to compete at the highest level, indicating he could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea, who will be hoping to return to Europe’s elite competition next season.