Latest news with #Cobham
Metro
6 days ago
- Sport
- Metro
Chelsea could sell academy graduate against John Terry's wishes
Chelsea are in talks to sell a highly-rated academy graduate who was tipped to break into the first-team by club legend John Terry. Enzo Maresca's side are currently celebrating their Club World Cup final victory over PSG, and now have just one month to rest and prepare for the new Premier League season. In that time, the club will look to add to their already impressive squad but must also sell off a large number of unwanted players, as another 'bomb-squad' has assembled at Cobham. Many of these outcasts spent last season out on loan including Raheem Sterling, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi. Another to do so was Alfie Gilchrist, who made 32 appearances for Sheffield United, helping the Blades reach the Championship play-off final where they lost to Sunderland. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Since his debut in December 2023, the defender has made 17 first-team appearances for Chelsea and was named Academy Player of the Season in 2024. More Trending However, the 21-year-old's contract is due to expire next summer and it remains to be seen whether his long-term future lies at Stamford Bridge or elsewhere. Sky Sports report that Middlesbrough have enquired about signing Gilchrist, who can play at either centre-back or right-back, with several other Championship clubs interested. Gilchrist will find minutes hard to come by at Chelsea due to their large number of centre-back options including Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo and summer signing Mamadou Sarr. Opportunities at right-back would appear limited too because of Reece James and Malo Gusto, and while the captain could be converted into a midfielder this season, Maresca is keen to give teenage defender Josh Acheampong more minutes. If Gilchrist were to leave west London, it would come as great disappointment to Chelsea's legendary captain and current academy coach Terry. 'Literally from the first training session in which I saw him, he reminded me of myself,' the former England defender said last year. 'He was keen to learn, asking me questions about defending and constantly picking my brains over what I would do in different situations. And he's 100 per cent in everything he does. Whether that's the warm-up to get him going, he's all-in. 'If you're at Chelsea, you've got great ability in the first place to be there. But it's really important for younger players to have that mentality and Alfie had that in abundance even from an early age. 'Hopefully, he comes back to Chelsea and breaks through into our team. Alfie and all of his family are Chelsea, too, so I know deep down he wants to come back and break through. 'When you see the journeys of these young players, and you play a small part in helping them, it's really rewarding for me, being Chelsea through and through. I love it.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Brentford eyeing up former Chelsea prospect as Bryan Mbeumo replacement MORE: Dusan Vlahovic makes decision on joining Man Utd on free transfer MORE: Manchester United being sued by former player for 'clinical negligence'
BBC News
10-07-2025
- BBC News
Crawley man arrested after Cobham motorcyclist dies in crash
A man has been arrested after a motorcyclist was killed in a crash near Gatwick Airport. The 45-year-old man from Cobham died when his motorcycle was involved in a crash with a white transit van shortly before 19:45 BST on Wednesday on Balcombe Road near Horley, Sussex Police vehicles were travelling northbound when the crash happened between Fernhill Road and the M23 underpass. The driver of the white transit van, a 26-year-old man from Crawley, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. Sussex Police is appealing for information about the incident.
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)
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aggie Beever-Jones fulfilled childhood dream at Chelsea and now hopes to do it with England
Aggie Beever-Jones says she is always chasing the next big thing, someone should tell her she is it. The 21-year-old has gone from a die-hard Chelsea fan to leading the Blues' frontline to a domestic treble. Advertisement Now, she is embarking on her first major tournament with England, it doesn't get much bigger than that. READ MORE: Chelsea FIFA Club World Cup prize money to date ahead of Fluminense semi-final READ MORE: Bayern Munich issue statement after Jamal Musiala horror injury vs PSG in Club World Cup Born in blue Aggie Beever-Jones has always been surrounded by Chelsea. Both her parents come from Blues-supporting families, and she lived just a short drive from their Cobham training ground. Her granddad, a black cab driver, used to park his taxi near the ground and take Beever-Jones for her first taste of Stamford Bridge. Advertisement Back then, there was little inkling she would soon be scoring on its hallowed turf. Beever-Jones' first taste of football came aged six and she was in goal, a symptom of being the only girl playing with boys. But as soon as she tasted the freedom of the pitch, she was flying. "When you're a kid who has that much energy, you're just running round,' she told Sky Sports. 'But I've always been an attack-minded player, wanting to get on the ball and dribble a lot, and that's probably where it started when I was younger – dribbling and trying to score. 'I don't think six-year-old me would like defending as much as I do. I've got a picture of me in goal and then me playing outfield so it's funny to see that it's changed a bit." Advertisement Making it, eventually Soon her shot at wearing the blue of Chelsea came as she trialled for their academy aged eight. But at first it was a no, a crushing rejection that Beever-Jones believes has helped shape her. A year later, the Surrey native was selected and has been with Chelsea ever since, signing her first professional contract at 18. She said to Sky Sports: 'I called my mum and dad like, 'You won't believe it, it's actually happened. They're both Chelsea fans and were as ecstatic as I was. I was so shaky the whole journey home.' It would have been easy to be overawed at getting the chance to now play with her heroes, but Beever-Jones explains she is part of a family at Chelsea. Advertisement Sam Kerr has always had a piece of advice, and Niamh Charles has been there for her to lean on. 'I'm quite lucky being at Chelsea, so I have quite a few of the girls in the squad, but Niamh Charles is someone who has been great,' she said to The Mirror. 'We always joke around that she's a big sister to me and I'm her younger sister. She's always put an arm around me and been so lovely to me.' Serena Williams watched Chelsea beat Manchester United -Credit:Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images Beever-Jones has also drawn comparisons to Charles, who arrived at Chelsea from Liverpool as a forward before becoming a defender. And while there is no expectation for Beever-Jones to drop further back down the pitch, she matches Charles for versatility as she can be called on to play across the frontline. Advertisement Don't forget the name After two loan spells, one at Bristol City in WSL2 and the other with Everton in the WSL, she returned to Chelsea ahead of the 2023/4 season. She quickly earned the nickname 'super sub' for her impact off the bench. And when Emma Hayes conceded the league – which they nevertheless went on to win – after a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool, she did so with Beever-Jones by her side. Hayes handing the league to Manchester City is what will be most remembered from that moment, but the current US Women's National Team manager made sure to set Beever-Jones up for the future. 'Aggie Beever-Jones – don't forget that name,' Hayes said. 'She's going to be a legend not just for Chelsea, but for England.' Advertisement Weeks later, she received her first England call-up going on to make her first appearance for the Lionesses on 12 July, coming on in the 89th minute against the Republic of Ireland. It really was just the beginning. Pressure, what pressure? Watching Beever-Jones glide across the pitch, you'd be forgiven for thinking there is nothing that can faze her. And while physically she never seems to struggle, she has admitted to her rapid rise sometimes requiring a mental reset. Because, as she prepared for her second full season with Chelsea, she was soon thrust to the fore as Kerr, Catarina Macario, Mia Fishel, Lauren James and Mayra Ramirez all experienced lengthy spells on the sidelines. Chelsea Women celebrate Aggie Beever-Jones' goal against Leicester City -Credit:Alex Broadway Couple that with strong returns, and her own expectations suddenly became impossibly high. Advertisement Telling the Observer: 'At the start of the season, if I'm honest, I put a bit too much pressure on myself. 'After having the season I had, where people were chatting about me, I realised that sometimes you have to block out all the noise going on around you. 'I've been able to do that a lot better in the second half of the season. I feel a lot more confident and comfortable in my abilities. 'I've got such a great support network here at Chelsea and I think you can see that on the pitch.' She credits the arrival of manager Sonia Bompastor with giving her the freedom to try things, but also for removing any need for negativity when they did not always come off. Advertisement Breakthrough Her exploits at club soon turned into more chances with England as Beever-Jones scored her first international goal in April of this year. It was a full-circle moment of sorts as she did so at Ashton Gate, where she had spent one of her loan spells. Her next three goals came all at once, scoring only the second hat-trick by a Lioness at Wembley with three first-half goals against Portugal. Another full-circle moment as her Wembley debut came three years after she sat in the stands with her family to watch England lift the Euros trophy. Beever-Jones is set to be an impact sub for the Lionesses in her first major tournament with England -Credit:Photo by Naomi Baker - The FA/The FA via Getty Images) Now it is her turn, with the super sub role she perfected at Chelsea expected to be of use for the Lionesses. Advertisement It is something that when she sat at the Euros final, she hoped would happen, now it is time for her to live the dream. Speaking to Sky News: 'Of course [I thought I might be at the next Euros] but whether I thought it was an actual possibility is a different story. 'I am a firm believer that you get opportunities when you work hard, and over the past three years, I have worked hard at Chelsea, having Emma and Sonia. 'I feel extremely lucky to be here, and I am just trying to take it all in, but you can't really wipe the smile off my face.'
The Independent
03-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Wimbledon prize money ‘peanuts' in the tennis world
British rookie Jack Pinnington Jones plans to use his 'peanuts' Wimbledon prize money to kickstart his dream of becoming a grand slam regular. The 22-year-old debutant – a close friend of British number one Jack Draper – made the most of his SW19 wild card by beating Tomas Etcheverry in his opening match before going down in straights sets to 22nd seed Flavio Cobolli in round two. Pinnington Jones pocketed £99,000 for an impressive impact at his maiden major tournament – a small sum in professional tennis but one which could prove pivotal for his fledgling career. Away from the glamour of the Championships, the world number 281 is back living with his parents and three younger sisters in the Surrey village of Cobham after opting not to complete the final year of his studies at Texas Christian University. 'I'm in it for the long haul – if I can get to grand slam main draws, that's what I want for my life,' said Pinnington Jones. 'I'm ready to stick it out and go through ups and down in my career that I know are going to come my way. 'It's a weight off my back knowing that I can fund my tennis myself without going through my parents. That's huge to me. 'I'm looking at it as an investment. It's peanuts to what tennis players can make. 'I want to be a top 100 tennis player in the world. I want to try and maximise my potential. Hopefully it will pay off in the long run.' Pinnington Jones intends to use his windfall to invest in a personal trainer, book his coach and a travelling physio for certain weeks of the tennis calendar and, potentially, move into his own home. He was guaranteed £66,000 for being in the main draw before adding an additional £33,000 thanks to Tuesday's statement straight-sets win over 2023 French Open quarter-finalist Etcheverry. Thursday's Court 18 meeting with world number 24 Cobolli proved a step too far, albeit Pinnington Jones squandered a set point in the second-set tie-break. He will play golf and celebrate with family and friends in the coming days before returning to action in next week's Nottingham Challenger event with the aim of securing a qualifying place for the US Open. 'I'm very proud of myself in how I've handled the whole experience,' said Pinnington Jones, who has no regrets about prematurely ending his education. 'Today it's invaluable for me to play such a good player and see the clear things in my game that I need to work on if I want any chance of getting my ranking up and actually earn my place here (without a wild card). 'Obviously I'm nowhere near where I want to be, so it's just I've shown I can do it. It's about now delivering it on the practice court day in, day out and just trying to be more consistent with my level. 'It gives me a lot of belief that one day I can be here.'
