Latest news with #BenChilwell
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chelsea stalwart could finally leave this summer with huge wages still an issue
With the Club World Cup now over, we're back in a similar situation to the one we were in a year ago at Chelsea – business has been done on bringing players in, now the hard work begins on shifting those we don't need. Last summer there was a full on bomb squad of first team players kept separate from the main group to encourage them to find a move. That won't be quite as necessary this year as those first team players who were at the CWC will be on holiday anyway. But those players who arrive at Cobham in the next couple of weeks know they're in the out tray. Newly promoted team target Chilwell Ben Chilwell applauds the fans. (Photo by) One player who the club would love to move on is Ben Chilwell. The left back spent the second half of last season on loan after a summer move couldn't be found, and so far has limited interest in his services pretty limited this summer too. We do finally have a new rumour to report on though – CaughtOffside claim that newly promoted Leeds are interested in filling the gap on their left created by the departure of Junior Firpo with the England international. England star's wages create issues once again As ever with Chilwell, his large wages are what create an issue, especially for a newly promoted team. But he will hope that by lowering his demands, Chelsea and Leeds can figure out how to make that work between them. Chelsea would likely accept a very small transfer fee just to get the former Leicester man off their books at this point. After missing half of last season and missing so many games in his career with injuries, he will surely be desperate to get back to action soon. It's not an easy deal to get done, but all 3 parties should be keen to do it.
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Joao Felix, Ben Chilwell among Chelsea fringe players to report back for training
Joao Felix and Ben Chilwell are part of a group of unwanted and fringe Chelsea players who have reported for training at Cobham this week. Sources speaking anonymously to The Athletic to protect relationships say the number who attended the club's training base on Monday was well into double figures. Advertisement Most of the players are those who were sent on loan during last season and are expecting to join a new club before the window shuts on September 1. This includes Joao Felix, who Chelsea signed from Benfica for £44.5million (now $60.4m) last August but loaned to AC Milan in January. Chilwell (Crystal Palace), Lesley Ugochukwu (Southampton), Djordje Petrovic (Strasbourg), Renato Veiga (Juventus), Armando Broja (Everton), Axel Disasi (Aston Villa) and Alfie Gilchrist (Sheffield United) are among the other returning loanees taking part. Under-21 midfielders Leo Castledine (Shrewsbury Town) and Alex Matos (Oxford United) are also involved. Rahemm Sterling, who spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Arsenal, has not yet returned but that was expected. Monday involved taking the standard medical tests and physical examinations that always take place on the first day of pre-season to check what condition players are in. The first full session took place on Tuesday and was overseen by loan technical coach Ed Brand, with all the first-team coaching staff away at the Club World Cup in the United States. There is also a plan for a behind-closed-doors friendly for the players who have returned to training. Chelsea hope to raise significant revenue by selling all these players and there is significant interest from a number of clubs in most of them. The bulk of Chelsea's first-team squad who are a part of their 2025-26 plans have been in the U.S., where the club have reached the tournament's final after beating Brazilian side Fluminense 2-0 on Tuesday. Additional reporting: Liam Twomey (Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Scottish Sun
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Chelsea files: Blues dodge Club World Cup chaos by relocating while outcasts at home confused over pre-season return
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHELSEA have dodged a Club World Cup storm by setting up camp in Florida this week. The Blues decided to upsticks and move to Miami last week despite playing their last 16 game being held in Charlotte, North Carolina. That is 729 miles away. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Chelsea have moved their Club World Cup camp to Miami from North Carolina Credit: Shutterstock Editorial After beating Benfica they will return to Philadelphia on Friday for a quarter final date with Palmeiras - the team they beat to win the 2022 CWC. Chelsea spent almost a week in Philly playing two group games but have decided to stay down South and bask in the sunshine of South Beach. And just as well, where last week it was blistering hot sunshine and humidity making it 'almost impossible to train' as boss Enzo Maresca put it, this week it is thunderstorms. Travel to Philadelphia has been severely hampered by torrential downpours and lightning in the skies above. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL SUP TO SOMETHING Sky Sports 'bring back iconic football show' five years after it was axed Several UK journalists heading to Philly in advance of the team encountered serious disruption and delays to their journeys. Planes were grounded for hours because it was too dangerous to fly. LOAN RANGERS While Maresca and his squad are working away in Florida, those left behind are not sure when they're needed at Cobham. A number of players coming back from loan and up for sale this summer were not named in Chelsea's Club World Cup squad. Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, Djordje Petrovic and Joao Felix all came back from loans and were omitted from the 28-man list. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Wesley Fofana, continuing to recover from injury, was also left behind. The first team's pre-season will obviously be disrupted by the Club World Cup - with Maresca saying they may only have a week of preparations before the Premier League season should they go all the way in America. However, none of those back in England have been tipped off as to when they're needed for pre-season. Most Premier League clubs not involved in the Club World Cup will be back preparing for the new season from next week. 6 Unwanted stars like Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling are waiting to find out about their future Credit: Getty OUR HOUSE 'LONDON, IT'S OUR HOUSE' was the cheeky dig fired at Arsenal in a perfectly placed advert as part of a marketing campaign for Chelsea's new home kit. The advert in question is on display at the Arsenal tube station, just a short walk from the Emirates Stadium, and will be viewed by fans of the Gunners on a daily basis - though we can't imagine it's driving many sales in the area. The ad is in reference to Madness' song 'our house' heavily used in Chelsea's promotional material, and features a large image of Cole Palmer with his iconic long sleeves on in what looks like a school classroom. 6 Chelsea put their new kit advert in the perfect location to wind up London rivals Arsenal STRAS-SING OUT BlueCo-owned RC Strasbourg are having the spine of their best team in years torn apart by those also in charge of Chelsea, and their fans are furious about it. Club captain Habib Diarra is on the verge of joining Premier League new boys Sunderland, player of the Season Djordje Petrovic has been recalled from his loan and looks set to be sold by Chelsea, while star midfielder Andrey Santos is highly rated at Stamford Bridge and will be a part of their squad for next season. To make things worse, Chelsea have signed their best young defender in Mamadou Sarr, with top goalscorer Emmanuel Emegha to join the Blues in 2026 in transactions that are essentially the same as moving money from your savings account to your current account. RC Strasbourg will almost inevitably receive some talented youngsters for their troubles, with future world beater Kendry Paez being the favourite to make an impact on loan in eastern France next season. But this idea is painful for fans of the club who aren't able to really feel connected to their team if they feel the ability to dream is taken from them. SunSport spoke to Alexandre, a spokesperson for the Strasbourg supporters federation about their star men being moved to the Premier League, and the feeling in France towards BlueCo after we took a trip there to uncover the darker side of multi-club ownership just a matter of months ago. They said: "My feeling as a fan is concerned, I think there are three kinds of situations, with an ascending degree of trouble. "A player like Diarra would have left anyway for an English club at some point. "That will help us reach a balance; it just means that BlueCo hasn't brought much in terms of financial stability… despite what is being advertised. Santos and Petrovic, we knew they were here to maintain or increase their value. "The cases of Sarr and possibly Emegha are even worse for us and for football overall. A club is using another club as a development team, which will distort the way a free market should function. "The fact that UEFA and FIFA are tolerating that is a f scandal. Multi-club ownership is ruining football as we knew it… We feel really bad about that." 6 Strasbourg's team has been torn apart Credit: AFP RIGHT MAN FOR THE ROB To any Chelsea fan disappointed at the collapse of a deal for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, you may need a hand to hold when you hear this… But perhaps those in charge of The Blues are right to trust in Robert Sanchez. The Spaniard was the cause of many frustrations at Stamford Bridge last season, but finished the campaign strongly and has started the Club World Cup brightly too. In fact, Based on the xG of shots on target faced, Robert Sánchez prevented more goals than any other goalkeeper in the Club World Cup group stage, with three conceded from a 5.35 xG on target according to Opta. However, being a good shot stopper isn't all it takes to be a world class number one these days, and it's with the ball at his feet he seems to cost Chelsea. He has still shown flashes of that Robert Sanchez, but overall improved of late and will at least have done his value no harm if The Blues are to move him on and re-ignite an interest in Maignan. 6 Robert Sanchez might still be the right man for the job for Chelsea Credit: AP BLUE BEAUTY Chelsea added another trophy to their cabinet this week, as they won the Amputee Cup for the first time. Captained by former soldier Mark Smith, who took six gunshots to the leg in a training exercise gone wrong in Canada in 2011, the Chelsea FC Foundation dominated the 50-minute final in a 2-0 win vs Everton in the community. Goals came courtesy of Darren Mitchell from the penalty spot and Jonathan Nyarko secured the win for the Blues, while winger Sofyan Filali picked up the Player of the Match award. TEEN SPIRIT Incoming teenager Estevao Willian will naturally attract plenty of interest when Chelsea face Palmeiras in the Club World Cup quarter-final. But there is another familiar face who could be lining up against The Blues. Former West Ham midfielder Felipe Anderson has been with the Brazilian club since last year and will surely be keen to rekindle some London derby spirit. The midfielder was once even linked with a move to Chelsea, while playing for Lazio after leaving the London Stadium - though the deal never materialised.
The Sun
01-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Chelsea files: Blues dodge Club World Cup chaos by relocating while outcasts at home confused over pre-season return
CHELSEA have dodged a Club World Cup storm by setting up camp in Florida this week. The Blues decided to upsticks and move to Miami last week despite playing their last 16 game being held in Charlotte, North Carolina. That is 729 miles away. 6 After beating Benfica they will return to Philadelphia on Friday for a quarter final date with Palmeiras - the team they beat to win the 2022 CWC. Chelsea spent almost a week in Philly playing two group games but have decided to stay down South and bask in the sunshine of South Beach. And just as well, where last week it was blistering hot sunshine and humidity making it 'almost impossible to train' as boss Enzo Maresca put it, this week it is thunderstorms. Travel to Philadelphia has been severely hampered by torrential downpours and lightning in the skies above. Several UK journalists heading to Philly in advance of the team encountered serious disruption and delays to their journeys. Planes were grounded for hours because it was too dangerous to fly. LOAN RANGERS While Maresca and his squad are working away in Florida, those left behind are not sure when they're needed at Cobham. A number of players coming back from loan and up for sale this summer were not named in Chelsea's Club World Cup squad. Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, Djordje Petrovic and Joao Felix all came back from loans and were omitted from the 28-man list. Wesley Fofana, continuing to recover from injury, was also left behind. The first team's pre-season will obviously be disrupted by the Club World Cup - with Maresca saying they may only have a week of preparations before the Premier League season should they go all the way in America. However, none of those back in England have been tipped off as to when they're needed for pre-season. Most Premier League clubs not involved in the Club World Cup will be back preparing for the new season from next week. 6 OUR HOUSE 'LONDON, IT'S OUR HOUSE' was the cheeky dig fired at Arsenal in a perfectly placed advert as part of a marketing campaign for Chelsea's new home kit. The advert in question is on display at the Arsenal tube station, just a short walk from the Emirates Stadium, and will be viewed by fans of the Gunners on a daily basis - though we can't imagine it's driving many sales in the area. The ad is in reference to Madness' song 'our house' heavily used in Chelsea's promotional material, and features a large image of Cole Palmer with his iconic long sleeves on in what looks like a school classroom. 6 STRAS-SING OUT BlueCo-owned RC Strasbourg are having the spine of their best team in years torn apart by those also in charge of Chelsea, and their fans are furious about it. Club captain Habib Diarra is on the verge of joining Premier League new boys Sunderland, player of the Season Djordje Petrovic has been recalled from his loan and looks set to be sold by Chelsea, while star midfielder Andrey Santos is highly rated at Stamford Bridge and will be a part of their squad for next season. To make things worse, Chelsea have signed their best young defender in Mamadou Sarr, with top goalscorer Emmanuel Emegha to join the Blues in 2026 in transactions that are essentially the same as moving money from your savings account to your current account. RC Strasbourg will almost inevitably receive some talented youngsters for their troubles, with future world beater Kendry Paez being the favourite to make an impact on loan in eastern France next season. But this idea is painful for fans of the club who aren't able to really feel connected to their team if they feel the ability to dream is taken from them. SunSport spoke to Alexandre, a spokesperson for the Strasbourg supporters federation about their star men being moved to the Premier League, and the feeling in France towards BlueCo after we took a trip there to uncover the darker side of multi-club ownership just a matter of months ago. They said: "My feeling as a fan is concerned, I think there are three kinds of situations, with an ascending degree of trouble. "A player like Diarra would have left anyway for an English club at some point. "That will help us reach a balance; it just means that BlueCo hasn't brought much in terms of financial stability… despite what is being advertised. Santos and Petrovic, we knew they were here to maintain or increase their value. "The cases of Sarr and possibly Emegha are even worse for us and for football overall. A club is using another club as a development team, which will distort the way a free market should function. "The fact that UEFA and FIFA are tolerating that is a f scandal. Multi-club ownership is ruining football as we knew it… We feel really bad about that." 6 RIGHT MAN FOR THE ROB To any Chelsea fan disappointed at the collapse of a deal for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, you may need a hand to hold when you hear this… But perhaps those in charge of The Blues are right to trust in Robert Sanchez. The Spaniard was the cause of many frustrations at Stamford Bridge last season, but finished the campaign strongly and has started the Club World Cup brightly too. In fact, Based on the xG of shots on target faced, Robert Sánchez prevented more goals than any other goalkeeper in the Club World Cup group stage, with three conceded from a 5.35 xG on target according to Opta. However, being a good shot stopper isn't all it takes to be a world class number one these days, and it's with the ball at his feet he seems to cost Chelsea. He has still shown flashes of that Robert Sanchez, but overall improved of late and will at least have done his value no harm if The Blues are to move him on and re-ignite an interest in Maignan. 6 BLUE BEAUTY Chelsea added another trophy to their cabinet this week, as they won the Amputee Cup for the first time. Captained by former soldier Mark Smith, who took six gunshots to the leg in a training exercise gone wrong in Canada in 2011, the Chelsea FC Foundation dominated the 50-minute final in a 2-0 win vs Everton in the community. Goals came courtesy of Darren Mitchell from the penalty spot and Jonathan Nyarko secured the win for the Blues, while winger Sofyan Filali picked up the Player of the Match award. TEEN SPIRIT Incoming teenager Estevao Willian will naturally attract plenty of interest when Chelsea face Palmeiras in the Club World Cup quarter-final. But there is another familiar face who could be lining up against The Blues. Former West Ham midfielder Felipe Anderson has been with the Brazilian club since last year and will surely be keen to rekindle some London derby spirit. The midfielder was once even linked with a move to Chelsea, while playing for Lazio after leaving the London Stadium - though the deal never materialised.
The Guardian
01-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Maresca's search for unpredictability lies behind Chelsea's transfer strategy
When Enzo Maresca became Chelsea's head coach last summer, those who had studied the Italian's tactics at Leicester predicted his appointment would accelerate the end of Ben Chilwell's time at Stamford Bridge. 'Enzo doesn't play with a left-back,' a source said. 'Chilwell won't be able to do what Enzo wants. He just won't play him.' The prediction was spot-on, with Chilwell quickly discounted from selection. It was nothing personal, though. The logic was merely that Maresca does not play with a conventional back four in possession but wants one full-back inverting and the other shifting inside to play as an extra centre-back in a 3-2-4-1 system. It is far from foolproof, as anyone who saw Malo Gusto's disastrous first-half turn as an auxiliary midfielder in the Conference League final against Real Betis will confirm. Yet Maresca has his way of playing and is comfortable without overlapping full-backs. He has often had speedy wingers playing high, tasked with going one-on-one against a defender. Marc Cucurella has been the inverter from left-back. Instead of being a rampaging force from right-back, Reece James has often drifted infield. The effect is numerical superiority in the middle. The drawback is that wide players become isolated in Maresca's team. Chelsea often struggled against low blocks during the second half of last season, particularly if it was a back five, and there was a lot of discussion about whether Mareca's football was overly rigid. Qualification for the Champions League became a grind. Chelsea finished fourth and won the Conference League but there was an issue to address. How to be less predictable? Ponder that for a moment and the decision to derail Newcastle's move for Brighton forward João Pedro becomes easier to understand. There will inevitably be accusations of stockpiling. The attack was already well stocked before Liam Delap joined from Ipswich and a deal for the Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens was agreed. There's also Estêvão Willian, who joins from Palmeiras after the Club World Cup, and suggestions that Chelsea could sign another forward. They continue to monitor the Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho and like West Ham's Mohammed Kudus because of the Tottenham target's ability to play in three positions. Delap and Gittens were far obvious moves than João Pedro, though. Delap was needed to provide healthy competition for Nicolas Jackson up front and Gittens fills a hole given that Chelsea need at least one right-footed left-winger. The left-footed Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke are uncomfortable fits on the left. They prefer cutting inside from the right. Estêvão is another left-footer who cuts inside. Chelsea know something has to give. Geovany Quenda, another gifted young winger, joins from Sporting next summer. No wonder Chelsea will listen to offers for Madueke. A mission to trim the squad is under way; the arrival of João Pedro in a deal worth more than £50m is expected to result in Christopher Nkunku leaving. Nkunku scored the winner when Chelsea beat Benfica in the last 16 of the Club World Cup but he is not quite right for Maresca. João Pedro is regarded as a better profile than the France forward and João Félix, who is also out of favour. Perhaps he will complement Cole Palmer, lifting the creative burden on Chelsea's main man. Palmer needs opportunities to rest. It is going to be another gruelling campaign and Chelsea are mindful about the Champions League increasing the demands on their squad. Maresca will have to rotate more in the league and he will benefit from having different modes of attack. There is no point having an array of speedy wingers if they are effective only in transition. Chelsea need different angles in attack. They are probably not going to get much intricate link play from Delap, who is more of an old-school No 9. Jackson is better at dropping off, turning and playing reverse balls – as he did for Neto's goal against Los Angeles FC – but is more chaotic. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion João Pedro offers a different profile. He presses well, drops deep and could play with Palmer as a second striker. The Brazilian was adept at receiving possession and releasing Brighton's wingers with clever angled passes. He could do the same for Gittens and Neto. Chelsea will hope they are signing a player who can draw negative opponents out, move defences around and create space for others. It is not the obvious move, but it feels like a canny one. It is about options and collaboration. Neto has three goals in three appearances at the Club World Cup and is loved at Chelsea for his work rate. João Pedro's output at Brighton was nothing spectacular – 30 goals and 10 assists in 70 appearances – but Maresca wants his attack to share the load and become more versatile. It helps to explain why Maresca has experimented in the US, hitting on a 3-2-4-1 in possession against Benfica, with Palmer's role as an inside-left leaving space for Cucurella to maraud. Predicting Chelsea's starting XI will become almost impossible. The system will be complex, leaving no space for someone of Chilwell's profile. Sometimes it could be heavy on wingers, at other times there could be two No 10s. For a shape-shifter such as Maresca, it seems variety is the spice of life.
