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Chelsea’s activity in the transfer market has caught the eye in recent years, splashing the cash to try and return to Premier League glory in the near future.

Todd Boehly has certainly invested big money into the first-team setup, handing Enzo Maresca the tools to be a success at Stamford Bridge, with the Italian having a wide selection of players to choose from.

The 46-year-old has often relied upon Moises Caicedo at the heart of his midfield, with the Ecuadorian starting every single game in the league since his appointment.

He may have cost an English record £115m back in the summer of 2023, but given his regularity in the first team, it has been money well spent, looking to be worth every penny.

The same can’t be said for another player, who’s massively failed to deliver in West London after his own big-money move to join the Blues a couple of years ago.

Raheem Sterling's stats for Chelsea

Back in the summer of 2022, Chelsea forked out £50m to sign winger Raheem Sterling from Manchester City, looking to inject added quality into the club’s front line.

However, the move has been a disaster for both parties, struggling to make the desired impact – ultimately leading to his loan move to Arsenal for the current campaign.

The Englishman scored nine times during his debut campaign at the Bridge, going one better with 10 in the following campaign – but after the arrival of Maresca, he ended up falling down the pecking order.

During his three-year period in West London, the 30-year-old has scored just 19 times in 81 appearances, an average of just one goal in every 4.2 matches – simply not at the level for a top-level attacker.

Given his £325k-per-week wages, coupled with his lack of impact for the Blues, it would be a surprise to no one to see him moved on in the summer, with another player also needing to be shipped out.

The player who should never play for Chelsea again

Given the influx of transfers made over recent years, it was always likely that sales were going to be needed, with Sterling just one player who has to be sacrificed after his lack of positive impact.

However, it’s made the jump much harder for academy players to stake their claim in the first team, with the club desperately wanting success after such high spending.

One player who’s been unfortunate in his development is striker Armando Broja, who at one stage looked as though he could lead the line for the Blues going forward.

The Albanian international joined the club at the age of nine, developing through the ranks, before getting his first-team opportunity in the 2022/23 campaign.

The 23-year-old only managed to score three times across his two seasons in the first team at the Bridge, eventually losing his place due to an ACL injury.

Broja has since spent two separate spells out on loan at Fulham before linking up with Everton for the current campaign – but injuries have once again reared their head.

The striker, who earns £40k-per-week, has only made six appearances for the Toffees, with his last outing coming back in January after not featuring until December following his summer move.

After just one start and zero goals at Goodison Park, people have started to voice their displeasure at his lack of impact, with one writer claiming he’s been a “complete waste” of a loan addition.

Given his continuous struggles away from West London, coupled with his lack of action when fit, Maresca needs to brutally part ways with the forward this summer to cash in while the 23-year-old still has some value.

Broja and Sterling need to be the first two players out of the door, with their subsequent departures handing the boss the funds to build on his impressive first season in charge of the Blues.

Chelsea sold "exceptional" star in 2021, now he's a big upgrade on Colwill

Chelsea made a huge mistake in allowing one player to depart Stamford Brideg back in 2021.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 4, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers are on track to remain in the Premier League next season, currently six points clear of 17th-place Ipswich Town.

Vitor Pereira’s arrival was a timely one and, with another few positive results, he can start planning ahead for next season.

He will be desperate to keep Matheus Cunha, however, as the Brazilian has played a key role in trying to maintain the Old Gold’s top flight status this season.

Mathues Cunha's impressive season in numbers

Cunha impressed during his first full season at Molineux during 2023/24, scoring 14 goals for the club as they avoided the drop and hopes were high ahead of the current campaign.

During 2024/25, he’s been nothing short of mesmeric in the final third with the 25-year-old having found the back of the net 15 times in 29 games, recording four assists in the process.

He has scored against Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, proving he is a man for the big occasion.

Furthermore, Cunha averages 3.3 shots per game in the top flight, along with creating 12 big chances and averaging 1.7 key passes per game for Wolves.

These statistics prove that not only can the Brazilian score regularly, but he loves creating chances for his teammates.

So, it was a pitty when he got himself sent off against Bournemouth in the FA Cup for an altercation with left-back Milos Kerkez.

Still, despite that incident, he’s been a fair bit better than a player Gary O’Neil cashed in on last summer.

Wolves struck gold selling Pedro Neto

Pedro Neto’s final season in the Midlands was a positive one to say the least. A tally of 14 goal involvements was enough for Chelsea to swoop in the summer, securing his signature for a fee in the region of £54m, a remarkable 260% increase on the £15m price-tag they initially snapped him up for.

This gave O’Neil some flexibility in the transfer market, but losing someone of Neto’s quality was always going to be a major blow to their hopes of surviving, particularly as the former boss rated him so highly.

So, how does the Portuguese compare with a man who could be Wolves’ next big sale?

Well, a return of five goals and seven assists in 32 matches certainly isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, but the former Lazio man has started just 22 games all season.

In the Premier League, Neto has created six big chances, averaging 1.2 key passes per game while averaging only 1.4 shots per game. These numbers are worse than what Cunha is registering in the top flight this season.

Elsewhere, Neto ranks only in the top 42% for successful take-ons (1.5), in the top 35% for touches in the opposition penalty area (5.06) and in the top 41% for shot-creating actions (3.68) when compared to his peers in the Premier League this season.

Based on these statistics, it is evident that Cunha is enjoying a more productive season, while Wolves have certainly struck gold by selling the Portuguese talent for such a lavish fee last year.

Pereira can ease Cunha blow & unleash Wolves' "perfect modern forward"

Wolves are without their star man this weekend

By
Joe Nuttall

Mar 8, 2025

Alan Shearer has expressed his anger towards Tottenham Hotspur after they sacked Ange Postecoglou on the back of breaking their trophy duck.

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• Postecoglou axed by Tottenham Hotspur
• Helped Spurs break their trophy duck
• Shearer angry with Tottenham's decision

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Last month, Tottenham won their first official trophy since 2008 after Postecoglou led the north London side to Europa League glory after beating Manchester United in the final. While the season saw the Lilywhites break their trophy duck, it also saw them suffer their worst Premier League campaign since 1976/77, when they suffered relegation to Division Two.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Near the end of the season, reports had claimed that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy had been considering sacking Postecoglou regardless of the Lilywhites' Europa League fate, and the move has now been confirmed. Tottenham announced that they had parted ways with the Australian coach, much to the anger of Premier League legend Shearer, who couldn't believe Levy's decision.

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  WHAT SHEARER SAID

  On social media platform X, Shearer commented: "What a stupid game football is!!!!" in response to Tottenham's official announcement of Postecoglou's departure.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM?

  Spurs have now been linked with Brentford's Thomas Frank, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola and Fulham's Marco Silva, and they will be keen to bring in a new coach as soon as possible to help develop their squad ahead of next season.

Tuzos have already submitted an offer to Colo Colo for the services of the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona player.

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• Pachuca is set to debut in the CWC on June 18, facing RB Salzburg
• Vidal returned to Colo Colo in early 2024
• Has contributed 13 goals and five assists over 82 appearances

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  With their sights set on a strong showing at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Pachuca are actively seeking to bolster their squad. The Mexican side is taking full advantage of the tournament's allowance to register up to six reinforcements, and one of their most ambitious moves may involve Arturo Vidal.

  According to , Pachuca has submitted a formal offer to Chilean club Colo Colo for a short-term loan of the 38-year-old midfielder – solely for the duration of the Club World Cup. While Colo Colo have yet to respond, the proposal is reportedly on the table and would cover a one-month loan spell next summer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Vidal, a veteran with an illustrious résumé that includes stints at Juventus, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Flamengo, and the Chilean national team, returned to Colo Colo in early 2024. Despite his age, Vidal remains a key figure in South American football, having contributed 13 goals and five assists over 82 appearances with the Chilean club in recent competitions, including the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Pachuca have already secured several reinforcements for their Club World Cup campaign, including José Castillo (Chivas), Agustín Palavecino (Necaxa), Federico Pereira (Toluca), and Robert Kenedy (Real Valladolid). The club is reportedly working on a fifth signing. Earlier rumors linked Neymar to Pachuca, but the idea was quickly dismissed by club executives.

  The potential addition of Vidal would bring valuable midfield versatility and ball control, as aim to compete with some of the world's top clubs.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PACHUCA?

  Pachuca are set to debut in the Club World Cup on June 18, facing RB Salzburg. They will then meet Real Madrid on June 22, and conclude the group stage against Al Hilal on June 26. As part of their preparation, they played to a 1-1 draw against Al Ahly in a recent friendly match.

Manchester City now want to sign a winger who terrorised Matheus Nunes in the Champions League earlier this season, having identified him as an ideal target to strengthen their attack, according to a report.

New winger needed at the Etihad

Jack Grealish’s struggles this season are well-documented, and there have now been reports Man City are ready to accept a bid for the £300k-per-week winger, which means Pep Guardiola will be tasked with bringing in a suitable replacement.

Sporting CP’s Trincao has recently emerged as a potential target, with City looking to hijack Manchester United’s move for the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man, while SC Braga youngster Roger Fernandes is also a subject of interest.

AC Milan’s Rafael Leao is among the most high-profile players on the Sky Blues’ shortlist, with the Portuguese forward being identified as a key target, and another winger who has impressed in the Champions League this season is now also under consideration.

Man City secure summer signing of "unbelievable" £66m star, claims report

Pep Guardiola’s side are said to have sealed a move for a midfielder.

By
Dominic Lund

Mar 11, 2025

According to a report from Spain, Man City now want to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, who has become a key player for Luis Enrique’s side this season, stepping up in the absence of Kylian Mbappe.

Barcola is viewed as an ideal option to strengthen Guardiola’s frontline, and there are suggestions City are very keen on a deal, but it may be difficult to get it over the line.

PSG are not willing to sanction the £107k-per-week winger’s departure unless they receive a substantial fee, given his importance to the French side’s long-term project.

Barcola could be "one of the best" left-wingers in Europe

The Frenchman has received high praise from freelance scout Ben Mattinson this season, who described him as “one of the best” left-wingers in Europe back in October, while also lauding him for stepping up since Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid.

City fans may remember the PSG star from his impressive performance in the Champions League clash back in January, picking up an 8.6 SofaScore match rating after bagging a goal and an assist, on a night where Nunes had a very tough time at right-back.

The former Lyon man has 30 goal contributions to his name in all competitions this season, including 20 in 25 Ligue 1 games, having shown real signs of development since being forced to become PSG’s talisman.

Barcola may be the ideal replacement for Grealish this summer, and given that he is just 22-years-old, he could make the left-wing spot his own for years to come.

Vinicius Junior has delivered a "yes sir" trophy pledge to Real Madrid fans after being asked about a treble challenge in 2025-26.

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• Testing finish to 2024-25 campaign
• Ready to compete for a global title
• Brazilian star eager to land more medals

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blancos enjoyed a memorable 2024, capturing La Liga and Champions League titles – with Vinicius on target in a 2-0 European Cup final victory over Borussia Dortmund. Real went on to land UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup honours.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 2024-25 campaign would, however, end with domestic and continental crowns being surrendered to Clasico rivals Barcelona and Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain respectively. A change in the dugout at Santiago Bernabeu has seen managerial reins passed from Carlo Ancelotti to Xabi Alonso.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  His first piece of business will be chasing down FIFA Club World Cup glory, with moves in the transfer market having already been made as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen join the ‘Galacticos’ in Madrid.

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  WHAT VINICIUS JUNIOR SAID

  Vinicius is expecting to get back on the trophy trail as soon as possible, with the plan being to complete a clean sweep of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League honours. The Brazil international forward responded to a "Treble this season" question on social media by saying: "Yes sir."

Celtic were given a timely reminder that they still have areas to improve on after they were beaten 3-2 by their city rivals in the Scottish Premiership in the last match before the international break.

The Hoops came from 2-0 down against Rangers to bring the score back to 2-2 at Parkhead last weekend, only for Hamza Igamane to deliver a crushing blow with two minutes to go.

Brendan Rodgers will surely have been disappointed with the performance of his side in the loss, despite it only cutting the gap between the two teams to 13 points in the table.

The performance, however, was mitigated by the absence of club captain Callum McGregor in the middle of the park, as he missed out on the game through injury.

Why Callum McGregor is important to Celtic

The former Scotland international is an important player to Celtic and Rodgers because he sits in the number six position and dictates the flow of matches for the club.

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He can control the game as a metronomic midfield presence for the Hoops, speeding it up or slowing it down with the pace of his passes and his decisions in possession.

McGregor leads the club’s midfielders for passes made per game (78) and pass accuracy (94%) in the Premiership this season, which illustrates just how important he is to the team.

Arne Engels, in his absence, only completed 51 passes – with a success rate of 88% – in an unfamiliar role, as the Belgian ace is usually more advanced as one of the two number eights.

Celtic do not appear to have a natural successor to the 31-year-old McGregor in the squad, but they could find a dream long-term replacement in Odin Thiago Holm – who is currently out on loan.

Why Odin Thiago Holm could replace Callum McGregor

It is fair to say that Holm’s time with Celtic has not gone as expected since Rodgers claimed that he could “make a big impact” at Parkhead upon his move to the club from Valerenga in the summer of 2023.

The Norwegian starlet has only played 16 times in the first-team to date and was sent out on loan to MLS side LAFC for the 2025 season, which means that he is due to return to Scotland in January of next year.

Holm has mainly played as a central or defensive midfield player in his career and this means that he could suit playing as a number six under Rodgers as the deepest-lying midfield player in a 4-3-3.

However, the 22-year-old maestro has not had many chances to showcase his quality on the pitch, as an injury delayed his MLS debut for LAFC until Saturday’s win over Kansas City.

As you can see in the table above, the midfield prospect also did not get many opportunities to shine in the Premiership for Celtic in the 2023/24 campaign, but there were promising signs with his defensive and offensive contributions.

Holm has the potential to offer plenty of defensive action, with tackles and interceptions, whilst also creating chances for his teammates in that role, if he can translate those into consistent performances over an entire season.

Worth even more than Maeda: Celtic have hit the jackpot on "magical" star

Celtic have struck gold with the star who is now worth more than Daizen Maeda.

By
Dan Emery

Mar 22, 2025

It is now down to him to enjoy a strong year with LAFC in the MLS to prove to Rodgers that he has what it takes to be the long-term successor to McGregor, because he seemingly has the attributes to be a dream replacement in the future if he can piece it all together.

Mauricio Pochettino has a selection dilemma on his hands, with the U.S. facing a far stronger side in Gold Cup group stage

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• Maurice Edu says Mauricio Pochettino should us same XI
• Landon Donovan, Alex Lalas think changes necessary
• Win over Saudi Arabia important for group stage

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former national team star Maurice Edu says that Mauricio Pochettino should stick with the same starting XI that beat Trinidad and Tobago when the USMNT take on Saudi Arabia Thursday, despite calls for veterans such as Tyler Adams to be included in the side.

  "You win 5-0. It's a tournament setting," Edu said on FOX Sports. "You're trying to learn the players, but you're also trying to win."

  The USMNT enjoyed a strong start to their Gold Cup campaign on Sunday, battering an admittedly poor Trinidad and Tobago side, featuring a lineup that consisted mostly of MLS talent. Edu's comments come in light of Pochettino's lack of familiarity with the player pool, which is missing significant names such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah.

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  WHAT MAURICE EDU SAID

  Edu outlined his expectations for the starting XI: "Your ambition can be to win the tournament, and in doing that, you can still assess this player pool that – if we’re being honest, how familiar is he with it? Nations League, that's when we had our ‘elite’ group together. That's two games. it’s almost like some of these players are still trying to build cachet, as well.

  "You win 5-0. It's a tournament setting, you're trying to learn the players, but you're also trying to win. It worked. Why would you change it? I understand the option to bring in a Tyler or Johnny Cardoso, but Sebastian Berhalter playing well, Luca de la Torre played well – roll it out again."

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  WHAT ALEXI LALAS SAID

  Alexi Lalas, meanwhile, argued that the U.S. shouldn't take chances against a much stronger team.

  "On the one hand, you say, OK, well, Pochettino and this team, they need to have a showing, and so you play your best players," he said on FOX. "And so a Tyler Adams, for example, who didn't play the first game, he's back in, you don't take any chances because you can't afford to go backwards. But on the other hand, if you’re Mauricio Pochettino, and you are using this tournament to assess the players, it's almost impossible to assess them against Trinidad and Tobago – who were horrible, let's be honest.

  "So maybe you were run it back and say, OK, now, you're playing against Saudi Arabia, and it's going to be a much bigger challenge. And now he actually gets a much more valid and fair assessment of some of these players. I don't know which way he's going to go. Maybe it's a combination of both. And I don't know how much he cares about the noise that's coming from the outside, as opposed to assessing them so he can have the best possible team come next summer."

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  WHAT LANDON DONOVAN SAID

  Donovan, who has been a critic of the U.S.'s weakened squad, fell somewhere in the middle.

  "He's said multiple times now, ‘When you wear the national team shirt, you're auditioning for your chance to wear it the next time.’ Right?" Donovan said of Pochettino. "And so I think, based on what happened in Nations League, all of those guys basically left the door open. He doesn't come in with any loyalty to any of the guys that have been there, played all the games experience, whatever.

  "And he says, “OK, it's a clean slate, you show me you want to play." Those guys the other day showed him they want to play. So I expect based on his words, you just keep it the same. Like, maybe Tyler Adams comes in, maybe. But otherwise, he's gonna say, 'Look, you earn the opportunity to do it again. And if you show me, do it again, you go again, and you go again, and you go again.’ "

Chelsea finally return to action in the Premier League when they welcome London rivals Tottenham Hotspur to Stamford Bridge on Thursday night.

The Blues have not played a competitive match since they were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal in the top-flight at The Emirates on the 16th March before the break, as they did not play last weekend as they had already been knocked out of the FA Cup.

That break appears to have come at a good time for the London giants, though, as three of their key players have been recovering from injuries and are now due to return against Spurs.

According to The Standard, Cole Palmer is expected to be back in action, despite pulling out of the England squad, after he returned to training with the group last Friday.

England international Noni Madueke is also due to be back in action against Spurs this weekend, having been out of action since February with a hamstring injury.

Finally, former Villarreal centre-forward Nicolas Jackson has been back in training and is expected to be in contention to feature on Friday, having also been out since February with a hamstring issue.

Why Nicolas Jackson's return is a boost for Chelsea

Chelsea have lost four of their eight matches without the Senegal international, whose last appearance came in the 2-1 win over West Ham on deadline day, and they have either failed to score or only scored one goal in six of those games.

This shows that they have been worse off, and largely toothless, without the 23-year-old striker, as they do not have a natural replacement for him. Christopher Nkunku and Pedro Neto have both been tried up front and the results speak for themselves.

Jackson is not a clinical finisher, by any stretch of the imagination, but he is a constant threat to the opposition backline with his movement off the ball and his drive in transition with the ball at his feet.

He has generated 11.38 xG worth of chances in 22 starts this season, which shows that the forward is consistently getting himself into great goalscoring positions, but the attacker has only scored nine goals from those opportunities.

Jackson, who scored a hat-trick against Spurs last season, coming back for this clash on Thursday is a big boost for Enzo Maresca because it will provide the Blues with a real focal point up front, as they will have a natural number nine who can make things happen in the final third.

Hopefully, the 23-year-old sensation, who scored 14 goals in the Premier League last term, can return and provide a goalscoring threat in the remaining matches of the season to push Chelsea to Champions League qualification, as well as a Conference League trophy.

The focus will then turn to the summer transfer window and how the Blues can improve their squad, and they are already reportedly making moves to add more quality to the group.

Chelsea submit bid to sign LaLiga star

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea are one of a number of clubs who are interested in a deal to sign Atletico Madrid attacker Giuliano Simeone this summer.

The outlet claims that the Premier League side, who are the only team named in the report, have already made an official bid of £29m in an attempt to snap up the 22-year-old talent.

It states that Atletico Madrid have yet to accept or decline the bid as they are set to weigh up whether or not to take the offer, as it would represent a significant profit for the Spanish giants, but it would also weaken their squad.

The report reveals that several other European teams are keen on the Argentina international, however, Chelsea are the only team that has made a ‘major’ offer to sign the forward.

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It now appears to be a waiting game for the Blues as they have to be patient and see whether or not Atletico decide to accept or reject their £29m offer for the young whiz.

Where Giuliano Simeone could fit in at Chelsea

The Argentine dynamo is a versatile forward who can operate through the middle as a centre-forward or on either flank as a winger, although 29 of his appearances this season have come on the right flank for Atletico.

This suggests that, whilst he could play in any of the roles across the front three, Simeone could come in to play on the right side of Maresca’s attack, with Cole Palmer in the number ten role, Jadon Sancho or Neto on the left, and Jackson through the middle.

The 22-year-old starlet, who talent scout Jacek Kulig described as “incredible”, could be an excellent addition to provide Jackson with even more chances in front of goal.

Chelsea’s number nine has shown that he can put himself into great positions to generate high xG chances, even though his finishing has not always made the most of those opportunities, and Simeone is a winger who has the quality to create even more openings for him.

As you can see in the table above, the Atletico talent ranks incredibly highly among his positional peers in a host of key creative and progressive statistics over the last year.

This is backed up by his nine ‘big chances’ created and five assists in just 18 starts in LaLiga for the Spanish giants so far this term, along with two ‘big chances’ created and two assists in seven outings in the Champions League.

These statistics suggest that the winger, who scored his first goal for Argentina against Brazil during the international break, has the creative quality to thrive alongside Jackson in the final third.

Simeone could consistently create high-quality chances for the Senegal international from a right wing position next season if the Blues can bring him to Stamford Bridge, as he has proven his quality in one of Europe’s major leagues and in the Champions League for Atletico.

Their best winger since Hazard: Chelsea open talks to sign £50m superstar

Chelsea are reportedly keen to sign a £50m star who’d be their best winger since Eden Hazard.

By
Dan Emery

Mar 25, 2025

It is now down to the club to ensure that they can convince the LaLiga outfit to accept their offer of £29m, or to go back in with an improved bid if it is rejected.

The Americans are on opposite sides of the seesaw at Juventus, but both want to beat Man City, contend for CWC trophy

Tim Weah's tenure at Juventus seems to be all but over, as the U.S. international has reportedly agreed to a transfer to Premier League side Nottingham Forest. Fellow American Weston McKennie, meanwhile, is now a focal point for the club after being handed the captain's armband this summer.

The two Americans have been key contributors for the over the past two seasons, and it has all led to this: a chance to make some noise at the Club World Cup.

Juventus are off to one of the hottest starts of any team in the CWC, and McKennie has captained them through it. The scored nine goals and conceded just once in victories over Club Wydad Casablanca and Al Ain. Weah, meanwhile, came off the bench in game one but went unused in game two.

Next up is Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in their group stage finale – a true test of where both the American duo and the Italian club sit in this competition.

City secured wins against both Wydad and Al Ain, as well, but has not conceded a goal in the group stage. Both Juve and the English side sit on six points, and each have a goal differential of plus-eight. With both having already secured advancement to the Round of 16, Thursday's match is about topping Group G and controlling destiny.

For Weah, that might mean leaving lasting impression on the . For McKennie, it's about leadership and stepping up in the moment for the Italian giants.

GOAL takes a look at Juve and the two Americans ahead of the Man City match.

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  Wayward Weah

  Weah has never really landed at Juventus. Across two seasons since joining in the summer of 2023, the U.S. forward has never consistently been a member of the XI, nor has he been allowed to prove himself. That's what comes with stiff competition.

  The 25-year-old has been deployed as a right winger, a right wingback, a right fullback – and in moments – has even been deputized to run the left flank of the pitch. It's shown his versatility, which, by all means, is a credit to his footballing ability – but at the same time, it's hindered his growth at the club.

  It wasn't too long ago that Weah was linked with an exit, as the American was a rumored target of Everton back in January. Nothing came to fruition, and Weah ended up sticking in Turin. Since manager Igor Tudor's arrival, though, Weah has been in and out of the XI.

  A reported separation is now in the cards, which, truthfully, seems a win-win situation. The American will go to Forest, where he will be deployed in an attacking position, while the will get him off their books and receive a transfer fee to bolster their squad in a different department.

  Weah does, however, have a role to play in this tournament, and against City, he could be crucial.

  The English club plays with three central defenders and two wingbacks, a rather similar tactical setup to Juventus, but by doing so, they often find themselves open on either the counter-attack or through quick transitional play in wide areas. For Weah, if he gets a chance off the bench, his pace and ability to stretch the pitch and utilize wide areas could become crucial late in the match if the score is close.

  Tudor still knows his value, and against City, he'll know that there might be a window in which Weah could be the X-factor – even if his time in Italy is coming to an end.

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  Main-man McKennie

  Maybe it's a surprise to some, but McKennie has been handed the armband by Tudor, and the Italian manager has told him that he is the leader of this squad at the Club World Cup. It's a huge moment for the 26-year-old American,.

  McKennie played all 90 minutes against Al Ain in the opening match, but was subbed off after just 45 minutes against Club Wydad on Matchday two. He picked an early yellow card in the first match, and with the Club World Cup's strict accumulation policy, his departure midway through second made sense.

  For Tudor, that does present a selection issue, but McKennie isn't the only one sitting on a yellow heading into the match – Chico Conceicao, Andrea Cambiasso, Federico Gatti and Khephren Thuram are all on cautions as well. Yet, the used the same starting XI through two matches, so why change?

  Throughout his time at Juve, McKennie has been the club's everything man. He's started at nearly every position on the field at one point or another. That didn't change under new coach Igor Tudor, who started him as an No. 8, a No. 10, and a wide midfielder after taking charge of the club in March.

  So, while McKennie's actual spot at Juventus seems secure because of discussions over a new deal, his actual place in the team, as always, is on the line in the Club World Cup.

  "As long as I’m playing, I’m happy,” he told the FIFA website. “If you put me as goalkeeper and you tell me I’m starting now, I’ll play it. At least I’m on the field and I just want to do the best that I can to help the team and to win games. If you tell me that I score two goals but we lose or I score zero and we win, I’m the type of guy that takes the score zero and we win. So [it’s] definitely not that hard for me to do.”

  It's a big match for the Italian club, and Tudor will have to manage his players carefully with the knockout rounds looming, and that goes for McKennie, as well. Can he maximize his minutes as the Juve leader?

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  USMNT implications

  With both McKennie and Weah at the Club World Cup, they are missing out on representing the USMNT in the Gold Cup. Of course, they aren't alone – Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson, Ricardo Pepi, Sergino Dest, Folarin Balogun, Gio Reyna andJosh Sargent all absent from the Gold Cup, as well.

  It's become a new-look USMNT at the competition, but after securing three victories in the Group Stage, the U.S. is through to the quarterfinals and will play Costa Rica on Sunday.

  The next time both Weah and McKennie will be available for selection for Mauricio Pochettino's side will be in the September international window – the USMNT has international friendlies lined up against Asian sides South Korea and Japan. Less than a year out from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup – which will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. – Pochettino will be looking to compete against top sides who are expected to be in the tournament.

  McKennie and Weah will both look to play an important role in that camp – and if they arrive following a strong showing at the Club World Cup, it would only bolster their confidence.

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  Juve's Club World Cup path

  Man City is expected to compete for the CWC title, but all Juventus need is a draw to top Group G – which, in all likelihood, would mean they avoid Spanish giants Real Madrid in the knockout round. The scored one more goal than City in the group stage, so they sit ahead of the English club on criteria points. So win or draw, Juve top the group.

  If City wins, they top the group, and the would finish second, meaning their Round of 16 match would come against the winner of Group H – and would most likely mean a matchup with Madrid. There are very thin margins, and there's a lot on the line for both teams – especially for Juventus' American duo.

  "There is excitement because it's our first time in this competition," Tudor said. "Juventus always has the same ambition: to win. And that's what we want to try to do, while always maintaining our humility. We know that the FIFA Club World Cup features the best teams in the world, but we haven’t come here just to take part."