Brighton are now discussing a deal to sign an exciting young talent in a move that could cost them up to £11m, according to a fresh report from a transfer insider.
Brighton stockpiling talent again
Brighton’s impressive early Premier League form following Fabian Hurzeler’s arrival at the helm has dropped off in recent weeks, with a 1-1 draw with West Ham leaving them without a win in their last five games, all against teams below them in the top flight at the time they played.
Despite taking just three points from their last possible 15, the Seagulls sit just three points off fifth place, and still boast one of the most talented young squads in the Premier League.
Only Chelsea and Manchester United have named younger starting XIs this season than Hurzeler’s side, with the Seagulls sticking to their policy of trusting youth despite their record breaking summer transfer window.
Brentford (Home)
Aston Villa (Away)
Arsenal (Home)
Ipswich Town (Away)
Manchester United (Away)
The likes of Carlos Baleba, Joao Pedro and Yankuba Minteh have all impressed over the course of the campaign to date, leading to interest from clubs across Europe.
Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba
There is no shortage of talent waiting in the wings either, with Julio Enciso among those who can barely buy a game at the AMEX Stadium, while they have just announced the signing of central midfielder Diego Gomez from Inter Miami, another young talent that they hope to develop. Now, they could be set to add to their January business with a move for an in-demand forward.
Brighton want league-leading winger
That comes according to transfer insider Alan Nixon [Via Inside Futbol], who claims that Brighton are in discussions with Swedish side Hammarby over a deal to sign talented winger Bazoumana Touré in January.
The Ivorian ace has turned plenty of heads already this season, with Arsenal and Tottenham among those to have been impressed by his performances in Sweden, while Brighton’s scouts have been in attendance to watch him on several occasions.
The top 10 best passers in the 2024/25 Premier League
Football FanCast takes a look at the Premier League’s best passers in 2024/25.
ByCharlie Smith May 29, 2025
Still just 18-years-old, he has managed nine goals and four assists in 23 outings so far this campaign. Football Analyst Ben Mattinson highlighted his decision making, which he dubbed “quality” while adding that he is an “intelligent, direct dribbler” who possesses a “knack for scoring goals”.
Widely anticipated to be on the move this winter, Nixon claims that Brighton are leading the race for his signature and are discussing a deal that could rise up to £11m with add-ons. It remains to be seen whether or not his arrival would be in January, or if the winger would be sent out on loan immediately.
As it stands, Kaoru Mitoma is the regular choice on the left hand-side, while the likes of Brajan Gruda, Simon Adingra and Joao Pedro can also all play in that role.
Still just 18-years-old, Toure is seen very much as a talent for the future, and it would be no surprise to see Brighton once more snap him up on the cheap before selling him on at a massive profit in several years time.
It would be fair to say that, so far anyway, this season has not been a great one for Tottenham Hotspur.
The North Londoners find themselves down in 11th place in the Premier League, and while they have a League Cup semi-final to look forward to, it’s against the seemingly unstoppable Liverpool.
However, while the mood around the club is far from ideal at present, there have been a couple of positives to come from the campaign, notably the emergence of the sensationally gifted Mikey Moore.
So, recent reports linking the club to another young talent who could be even better than the Englishman should seriously excite the fans.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are one of several clubs interested in Barcelona’s tremendously exciting young striker, Vitor Roque.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that fellow Premier League sides Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Brentford are also considering the promising centre-forward as a potential target for the summer transfer window once his loan to Real Betis has been completed.
This competition and the fact that Betis have an option for another year-long loan and an option to buy into their deal could complicate matters.
However, Spurs could still get ahead of the competition by flexing their financial muscle, and, according to reports from earlier this year, an offer in the region of £29m could be enough to secure the youngster’s services, although that was before his recent uptick in form, so the fee could be higher today.
It could be a costly transfer to get over the line, particularly for someone his age, but given Roque’s form this season and the potential so many believe him to possess, it’s one well worth pursuing, especially if he ends up being better than the incredible Moore.
Why Roque could be even better than Moore
Okay, so the very first thing we should say is that, as things stand, from his performances in the youth sides to how he has been spoken about by those in the know and his short cameos this season, Moore looks like he could develop into a truly exceptional star.
Predicting a player’s future can be a tricky business indeed, but the young Englishman looks like he has everything he needs to become a true world-beater over the next five or six years, and so does Roque.
In fact, while the Spurs gem has made eight, mostly substitute, appearances for the first team this year, he still has yet to score or assist a goal, which cannot be said about the 19-year-old Brazilian.
For example, in 23 appearances for Betis this season, 14 of which have been starts, the “truly magnificent” prospect, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored six goals and provided two assists.
Moreover, for someone his age, he has some seriously impressive offensive underlying numbers.
According to FBref, the Barça gem sits in the top 12% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, for non-penalty expected goals, the top 14% for total shots and the top 16% for progressive carries, all per 90.
If that still isn’t enough to convince you that the “special” talent, as dubbed by former Atlético Madrid star Diego, could become one of the world’s best strikers, then perhaps his statistics from his final season in Brazil will.
Appearances
45
Starts
35
Minutes
3178′
Goals
21
Assists
8
Goal Involvements per Match
0.64
Minutes per Goal Involvement
109.58′
For example, in just 45 senior games across the 2023 season, the incredible phenom scored 21 goals and provided eight assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.55 games, which is a ridiculous rate of return for anyone, let alone a teenager.
Ultimately, Spurs already have several exciting prospects at the club, but Roque looks like he could turn into a genuine world-class talent, and a frontline with him and Moore could be truly special a few years from now.
Offer made: Spurs target dream Maddison rival in £25k-p/w "magician"
The exceptional youngster could have a bright future at Spurs.
Liverpool are now in direct talks over a move for an “unbelievable” player, who has been identified as a priority target to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, according to a report.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool future still in doubt
Alexander-Arnold is still yet to commit to a new contract at Anfield, with Real Madrid holding a strong interest in the right-back’s signature, but the Reds are doing everything they can to keep hold of the 26-year-old.
A bumper new contract offer has been tabled in a bid to keep Alexander-Arnold on Merseyside for a further five years. However, as yet there are no signs the right-back is willing to commit to fresh terms.
As such, Arne Slot has now started to look at replacements for the England international, and last week it was revealed that Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich is of interest, with his £300k-per-week contract set to expire in the summer.
Now, there has been a new update on Liverpool’s pursuit of Kimmich, with Sky Sports France reporting that direct talks have now been held over a deal for the versatile defender.
The Reds have now identified the German as their priority target, in the event that Alexander-Arnold exits Anfield, as they are particularly impressed by his versatility.
The new Firmino: Liverpool begin talks to sign "monster" Nunez replacement
Liverpool are looking to replace their club-record signing this year.
ByAngus Sinclair Jan 13, 2025
The Merseyside club would even be willing to spend €25m (£21m) to get a deal done this winter, rather than waiting for the summer, casting doubt over his future at the Allianz Arena.
Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Brentford (a)
January 18th
Ipswich Town (h)
January 25th
AFC Bournemouth (a)
February 1st
Everton (a)
February 12th
Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)
February 16th
The Bundesliga side had previously been confident about agreeing a new contract with the 29-year-old, but it remains to be seen whether he would be interested in a move to Anfield.
Kimmich could be the ideal Alexander-Arnold replacement
Trent is widely regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world, so it is promising news that Liverpool could replace him with a player of a similar quality, with Kimmich being lauded as “unbelievable” by Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount.
The Germany international is capable of playing at right-back and central midfield, making him a versatile option for Slot, and it also means that Conor Bradley could be afforded more opportunities at right-back.
That said, Liverpool will still be hoping that their academy graduate agrees to extend his stay at Anfield, considering how big a part he has played in their success for a number of years.
Alexander-Arnold’s attacking talents have been on show once again this season, picking up five goal contributions in 18 Premier League games, while also finding the back of the net with a fine strike against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup at the weekend.
Arsenal now want to sign a £165,000 per week new forward, and have got the blessing of Mikel Arteta to do so with the Gunners boss believed to be a huge fan of the player.
Arsenal need a new forward
Three poor results and more injuries inside a week have left Arsenal desperate for January signings. The Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw in the Premier League against Brighton, in a game in which Ethan Nwaneri was taken off at half-time with an issue that is set to sideline him for several weeks.
“Unfortunately he has picked up an injury and he is going to be out for a couple of weeks,” Arteta said last week. “It’s a muscular injury. He didn’t really know, to be fair. He said, ‘I am feeling something but I don’t really know what it is’.”
And following a disappointing 2-0 loss to Newcastle in the home leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, disaster struck again against Manchester United as Gabriel Jesus was stretchered off in the first half with what looked to be a serious knee injury, and initial indications suggest he could be out for another long period of time.
Exiting the FA Cup on penalties, Arteta did not sound hopeful about the future of his no.9, admitting: “Big worry, that’s my feeling. He had to come off on a stretcher with a lot of pain, touching his knee. It’s not looking good.
“I think it’s the other one. The worrying factor is the feeling that he had. When he had to come off and the pain that he was in.”
Jesus’ injury leaves Arsenal with just four senior forwards fit at present, with Bukayo Saka also sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Kai Havertz
Leandro Trossard
Gabriel Martinelli
Raheem Sterling
But, with the January transfer window open, the Gunners have the chance to bolster their ranks, and it has again been claimed that they are looking at one player in particular.
Arsenal want to sign "unique" winger
According to a report from The Independent, Arsenal are still keen to sign Nico Williams despite his mammoth £165,000 a week wages and desire to increase that number significantly with his next move.
The Spaniard has long been linked with a move away from Athletic Bilbao, and is believed to have a release clause in his current contract sitting at £47m, which would in theory make the deal a relatively simple one in January.
Alexis 2.0: Arsenal set to make bid for 'one of the best in the world'
Arsenal could repeat their Alexis Sanchez move in 2025.
1 ByMatt Dawson Jan 13, 2025
And the report claims that “they want Williams” but his wage demands are “very high”, though given that Mikel Arteta “loves” the young Spaniard it may well be a risk worth taking.
Though he has struggled for goals so far this campaign, Williams drew widespread acclaim for his role in Spain’s EURO 2024 winning side, with Jose Mourinho labelling him “unique” and “wonderful” before admitting that he preferred him to Lamine Yamal, who was named the tournament’s golden boy.
Given Arsenal’s current situation, they are likely to have to overpay to secure reinforcements in the coming weeks with clubs sensing the north Londoners’ desperation. With Williams having an attractive release clause and being one of Arteta’s favoured options, the hefty wages may well be a risk worth taking.
With Diego Carlos completing his move Fenerbahce this month, Aston Villa are now reportedly battling to sign a fresh replacement as an alternative option to the heavily linked Loic Bade.
Aston Villa transfer news
The Villans have been among the Premier League’s busiest sides this month, signing both Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia whilst also reportedly chasing the signature of Sevilla star Bade. Currently four points adrift of the Champions League places, it’s clear that the Midlands club are desperately looking to bridge that gap through reinforcements this month.
Of course, it should come as no surprise that Aston Villa are chasing further defensive additions this month amid Carlos’ mid-season move to join Turkish club Fenerbahce. Out-of-favour and shown the door, the Brazilian departs after a spell full of injury frustrations in the Midlands.
In his place could yet be Bade. The Frenchman is reportedly at the top of the Villans’ wishlist and talks are ongoing over securing his signature. Should they fail in pursuit of their top target, however, then another suitable option may have just emerged.
Aston Villa and NSWE racing Wolves to sign £13k-p/w attacker after Garcia
The Villans are wasting no time…
ByTom Cunningham Jan 22, 2025
According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are now battling to sign Fikayo Tomori ahead of Premier League rivals Newcastle United in what would see the defender complete his first move back to English football since leaving Chelsea for AC Milan in 2022.
After initially enjoying an impressive rise at Milan, Tomori has found himself falling down the pecking order in the current campaign and among the players who could be heading for the San Siro exit door.
Now 27 years old and a far more experienced player than the one that left Chelsea almost three years ago, Tomori could now get the chance to come back and haunt his former club courtesy of Aston Villa.
"Skilful" Tomori would be instant upgrade
If it’s not Bade this month, then Tomori is far from a disappointing second choice for those at Villa Park. Just like the Sevilla star, the Milan man would provide Unai Emery with an instant upgrade on Carlos and a player at the peak of his powers.
Whilst the former Chelsea man is currently struggling at the San Siro, it wasn’t so long ago that he was at the centre of praise from the legendary Franco Baresi, who previously told the Daily Mail: “He is young and has played well so far when he’s had the chance. He is skilful and has great physical attributes. He is still adapting to the Italian league and I think he can only grow as a defender and help us out.”
Now potentially seeking Premier League redemption after leaving Chelsea with a whimper in 2022, Tomori could emerge to take Aston Villa above the Blues in the battle to qualify for the Champions League.
What was once a player shown the door at Stamford Bridge could quickly become the latest Chelsea regret if Villa make their move.
We are mere hours away from the transfer window slamming shut, and as teams around them look to change their squads, Tottenham Hotspur look ready to add more quality to theirs.
There have been a number of headline-grabbing moves in the last couple of days, from the Lilywhites’ imminent capture of Bayern Munich gem Mathys Tel to Manchester United finally getting hold of Patrick Dorgu, but perhaps the most eye-catching of them all has been Marcus Rashford’s loan to Aston Villa.
The Manchester-born superstar was completely frozen out of the Red Devils’ first team by Ruben Amorim, and while he’s not been at his best for some time, we know what he’s capable of, and in that sense, the Villans could have a real game-changer on their hands.
Fee
Fee
Antonin Kinsky (Slavia Prague)
£12.5m
Matthew Craig (Mansfield)
Loan
Yang Min-hyeok (Gangwon)
£3.3m
Will Lankshear (West Brom)
Loan
Kevin Danso (Lens)
Loan
Yang Min-hyeok (QPR)
Loan
Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich)
Loan
However, the Englishman’s move to Villa Park could, in turn, help Spurs, as recent reports have linked one of his new teammates with a move to N17, a teammate who has won comparisons to the high-profile loanee and could be brilliant alongside Tel.
Tottenham target Aston Villa forward
According to a recent report from GIVMESPORT, Tottenham are interested in signing Villa’s dynamic winger, Leon Bailey.
Aston Villa'sLeonBaileyin action with Celtic's Greg Taylor
The report has revealed that the Birmingham outfit have made the Jamaican dynamo available in the closing hours of the transfer window, which has caught the attention of Spurs Technical Director Johan Lange.
The Dane played a ‘key role’ in bringing the former Bayer Leverkusen star to Villa Park when he worked behind the scenes there and is now spearheading the North Londoners’ pursuit of the £120k-per-week winger.
It’s unclear how much a transfer would cost the Lilywhites, but given how much they need reinforcements for the right wing and the potential partnership with Tel off the left, it’s a deal worth pursuing, even if comparisons to Rashford concern some fans.
How Bailey compares to Rashford and why Spurs should sign him
So, before looking at his potential partnership with Tel and why Spurs should go out and get Bailey, let’s examine this comparison with Rashford and where it has come from.
In this case, it primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the tenth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Jamaican star.
The best way to see how this conclusion has been reached is by looking at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, passing accuracy, key passes, passes into the final third, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.26
0.35
Passing Accuracy
70.7%
73.8%
Key Passes
1.39
1.38
Passes into the Final Third
1.22
1.19
Live Passes
28.9
30.6
Tackles Won
0.35
0.37
Carries
27.6
26.9
Aerial Duels Won
0.52
0.46
However, unlike the United ace, the last time the Kingston-born maestro was at his dangerous best was only last season, so there is a reasonable chance that in a new environment and under the incredibly positive style of Postecoglou, he could get back to tearing teams asunder.
For example, in just 52 appearances for the Claret and Blue, totalling 3197 minutes, the “unplayable” game-changer, as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, found the back of the net on 14 occasions and provided 14 assists for good measure, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 1.85 games, or every 114.17 minutes.
Now, just imagine that level of output off the right of Dominic Solanke, and then Tel off the left, who in just 41 appearances last season, totalling 1406 minutes, scored ten goals and provided six assists, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 2.56 games, or every 87.87 minutes.
If this deal were to pan out, Postecoglou would have two incredibly dynamic wingers to choose from and some brilliant competition for the likes of Brennan Johnson and Son Heung-min to ensure neither of their levels dropped.
Mathys Tel
Ultimately, while comparisons to Rashford might put some fans off of this transfer, it shouldn’t, as, unlike the Englishman, Bailey was at his electrifying best only last season, and a front three with him and Tel on either flank is a front three that could give any defence a real game.
Dream Werner replacement: Spurs in contact over "magnificent" £41k-p/w ace
The exciting attacker could add some much-needed dynamism to Spurs’ attack.
Clubs across Europe’s top five leagues spent a massive total of £1.1bn on transfers this January, more than doubling the amount spent last year in the same period.
Manchester City were far and away the biggest spenders, splashing out £181m on five new players, including Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt, Nico Gonzalez from Porto, Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens, Vitor Reis from Palmeiras and Juma Bah from Real Valladolid.
But how does City’s spree compare to previous record-breaking windows? Here’s an in-depth look at the 9 biggest January window spends of all time, with the help of data from Transfermarkt and news sources.
The top 15 transfer signings of the January 2025 window
Here’s who splashed the most cash over the past month.
ByRoss Kilvington Feb 1, 2025
Rank
Club
Year
Players signed
Money spent
Chelsea
2023
8
£330m
Man City
2025
6
£181.2m
Barcelona
2018
2
£152.5m
PSG
2024
3
£105m
Newcastle
2022
5
£91.6m
Jiangsu Suning
2016
8
£80.9m
Juventus
2022
3
£79.5m
Liverpool
2018
1
£75m
Chelsea
2011
2
£71.3m
9 Chelsea (January 2011) Money spent: £71.3m
Following Roman Abramovich’s takeover of the club in 2003, Chelsea often made a habit of spending big in the summer, but took it a little easier in January.
That was until 2011, when they decided to splash £69m – a club record at the time – on two big new signings.
First was the high-profile and controversial arrival of striker Fernando Torres from Liverpool, who Chelsea splashed £50m on. Then, on deadline day, defender David Luiz arrived from Benfica for a reported fee of £21.3m.
Player
Signed from
Fee
Fernando Torres
Liverpool
£50m
David Luiz
Benfica
£21.3m
5 players Chelsea should sign in the summer
Chelsea have fallen off the pace in recent weeks, but a promising season could lead to greater things if they get their summer business right.
ByBarney Lane Feb 4, 2025 8 Liverpool (January 2018) Money spent: £75m
Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool
All of the money Liverpool spent in the January 2019 transfer window went on one player: Virgil van Dijk.
The fee, which was a world record for a defender at the time, has since proven to be money extremely well spent, with Van Dijk establishing himself as one of, if not the, best defenders in world football, helping Liverpool win everything there is to win, including the Premier League, FA Cup, EFL Cup and Champions League.
His stellar performances this season have the Reds and new manager Arne Slot on course for another top-flight triumph.
The most expensive defenders of all time
Which defenders have been sold for the biggest transfer fees?
After years of trying to land him, January 2022 finally marked the arrival of Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic at Juventus, with the Old Lady splashing a massive £66m to bring him to Turin from Fiorentina.
While he can’t exactly be considered a flop, he’s not reached the heights many perhaps would have hoped, finding the net 54 times in 129 games – an average return for a player who is netting around a cool £350,000 per week.
Defender Federico Gatti, signed in the same window for just £7.5m, on the other hand, has proven to be far better value for money.
The only non-European club to be included on this list, Chinese side Jiangsu Suning spent around £81m in January 2016 to sign Alex Teixeira from Shakhtar Donetsk, Ramires from Chelsea and a number of other low-profile stars – including former Manchester City striker Jo.
The window was supposed to be the start of a revolution for the club, but it never materialised. Suning went on to have just one successful season, finishing second in the 2016 Chinese Super League and the Chinese FA Cup, before eventually dissolving in 2021.
5 Newcastle United (January 2022) Money spent: £91.6m
Bruno Guimaraes
Shortly after Newcastle United were taken over by a Saudi-led consortium in October 2021, the Magpies went big in the 2022 January transfer market.
The club brought in Chris Wood from Burnley, Dan Burn from Brighton & Hove Albion and Kieran Trippier from Atlético Madrid, but their marquee acquisition was that of Bruno Guimaraes, who completed a £41.6m move to Tyneside from Ligue 1 side Lyon.
The Brazilian has since gone from strength to strength at St James’ Park, establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders.
4 Paris Saint-Germain (January 2024) Money spent: £105m
In January 2024, Paris Saint-Germain forked out a massive £105m to reinforce all over the park, signing striker Goncalo Ramos from Benfica, midfielder Gabriel Moscardo from Corinthians and defender Lucas Beraldo from Sao Paolo.
The revamp, however, hasn’t exactly yielded the results that the French giants would have hoped.
Moscardo spent last season on loan with Reims, making just four appearances before returning to PSG, where he has yet to play a game, while Beraldo is a mere squad player.
Ramos, who cost £70m as PSG made his loan move permanent (technically outside of the January window), has managed 22 goals in 56 games. It’s a respectable figure, but no doubt PSG would have been hoping for more given the money they paid for him.
3 Barcelona (January 2018) Money spent: £152.5m
Philippe Coutinho signs for Barcelona
Barcelona spent a huge £152.5m in January 2018. £10.5m of that went on Colombian defender Yerry Mina, who joined from Brazilian side Palmeiras. The remainder was spent on signing Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool.
Still the club’s record signing, the midfielder was never able to show the form he displayed at Anfield, being loaned out twice in four years before eventually being sold to Aston Villa in 2022 for the measly fee of £17 million.
Former Arsenal and England star Ian Wright once described the move as the “worst transfer of all time”.
2 Manchester City (January 2025) Money spent: £181.2m
After a quite dreadful (at least by their own lofty standards) start to the 2024/25 season which saw them lose six Premier League games before the new year, Manchester City decided to fix the problem the only way they know how – spending a ton of cash.
Pep Guardiola went big, spending a combined £181.2m on six new players, the most expensive of whom was Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush, who City paid Eintracht Frankfurt £63m for.
A 5-1 defeat to Arsenal on the eve of the transfer window closing, however, suggests the spending hasn’t done too much good.
1 Chelsea (January 2023) Money spent: £330.1m
Enzo Fernandez for Chelsea
No club in football history has ever come close to spending as much money in a January transfer window as Chelsea did in 2023. The Blues splashed a quite unbelievable £330.1m on an array of new talent that included the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Malo Gusto.
Their only sale that month was Jorginho to Arsenal, who cost the Gunners just £9m. That was lower than their cheapest incoming, with Joao Felix arriving on loan from Atletico Madrid for a £9.7m fee.
With the £100m-plus Fernandez flattering to deceive, Mudryk banned for failing a drugs test, Madueke seemingly being unable to pass the ball in the final third and Gusto warming the bench, Chelsea fans will probably be wishing they can have their Champions League-winning Italian midfielder back instead.
One position that is key in Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea system, is the wingers, pinning fullbacks high and wide, looking to provide the team with output and being isolated in 1v1 scenarios as often as possible.
However, the Italian has lost his most productive wide option to injury, Noni Madueke, who has netted eight times this season, also providing four assists and totalling 1,653 minutes played.
This leaves Maresca with just Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho as his senior wide options, as the Blues also lost another winger due to suspension back in December last year.
Mykhailo Mudryk's time at Chelsea
Chelsea announced in December 2024, that Ukrainian winger, Mykhailo Mudryk had been provisionally suspended by the FA after testing positive for a banned substance.
This came after making 15 appearances for the Blues this season, scoring three goals, providing five assists and totalling 849 minutes played.
Whilst a large majority of Mudryk’s minutes came in the UEFA Conference League (523 minutes), losing the 24-year-old has still affected Maresca’s squad, as they are now left with just two natural senior wingers after Madueke’s injury.
The Blues signed Mudryk in January 2023, with an initial fee of around £62m with up to a further £27m in bonuses. The Ukrainian is now valued at €38.5m (£31.8m) according to Football Transfers, but that is still more than a certain other Chelsea man…
The Chelsea star who's now worth less than Mudryk
Reece James was once valued as high as £57.4m according to FootballTtransfers, but over the past few seasons, his value has taken a real hit, following plenty of injury troubles which have kept him off the pitch for prolonged spells.
Player
Value (£)
Cole Palmer
£95.6m
Moises Caicedo
£66.8m
Enzo Fernández
£61.5m
Nicolas Jackson
£59.4m
Pedro Neto
£51.3m
Christopher Nkunku
£49.1m
Levi Colwill
£45.8m
Roméo Lavia
£44.8m
Noni Madueke
£43.4m
Mykhailo Mudryk
£31.8m
The Chelsea captain has managed to make ten appearances for the club this season, scoring one goal, providing one assist, contributing to one clean sheet and totalling 556 minutes played.
The 25-year-old has suffered from reoccurring hamstring problems since 2020, missing a total of 131 games since 2019/20, when James was first introduced to the first-team under Frank Lampard.
When James is fully fit, there is no doubt about his quality, with Kyle Walker even labelling him the “complete” player and revealing why he believes James is the best right-back in the world.
However, having only made 168 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals, providing 23 assists and totalling 11,503 minutes, his availability will always remain a concern.
Reece James in action for Chelsea
James is now valued at €37.4m (£30.9m) according to Football Transfers, which means he isn’t seen as one of Chelsea’s top ten most valuable players, despite being the highest-paid player at the club, as well as being the club captain.
With Chelsea’s new wage structure aiming to pay players based on their value to the side, James could come under consideration if his injury troubles continue, as to whether the Blues need to focus their resources elsewhere.
Market Movers
That likely wouldn’t go down well with Chelsea fans, as James is one of the only academy graduates remaining to have successfully come through the system and become a fully fledged first-teamer – yet if his injury woes remain, an upgrade may be needed.
Better than James & Gusto: Chelsea sold "exceptional" star for just £8m
Chelsea must rue sale of “exceptional” ace who’s been better than James & Gusto
Aston Villa are now very interested in signing a £41m striker this summer to replace Jhon Duran, according to a report.
Duran seals big-money move to Saudi Arabia
Duran had been enjoying a breakout season for Villa, making a name for himself with goals in the Premier League and Champions League, but the 21-year-old’s time in the Midlands was short-lived, signing for Al-Nassr for a fee of £71m last month.
With the move taking place late in the January transfer window, Unai Emery was short on time to bring in a like-for-like replacement, but the manager did manage to strengthen his attacking options in a more general sense during the winter window.
Donyell Malen was brought in from Borussia Dortmund, while Marcus Rashford arrived on loan from Manchester United for the remainder of the season, but there have already been suggestions the Englishman is still eyeing a summer move to Barcelona.
Emery now working on deal for £116k-p/w star who's "perfect for Aston Villa
Former scout Mick Brown believes moves are being made to sign an “unbelievable” player on a permanent basis.
ByDominic Lund Feb 19, 2025
As such, Emery may have to bring in another striker this summer, and a report from Spain has now revealed Aston Villa are very interested in signing FC Porto striker Samu Omorodion, following his impressive performances in Portugal (via Sport Witness).
Ollie Watkins is the only out-and-out striker at Emery’s disposal at present, meaning the manager wants to bring in a new option this summer, and the Villans are the main suitors for Omorodion from the Premier League.
FC Porto's SamuOmorodioncelebrates scoring their first goal
The youngster is said to have similar characteristics to Duran, which would make him an ideal replacement for the Colombian, and the Liga Portugal side could be interested in doing a deal for around €50m (£41m).
Aston Villa’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Chelsea (h)
February 22nd
Crystal Palace (a)
February 25th
Brentford (a)
March 8th
Brighton & Hove Albion (a)
April 1st
Nottingham Forest (h)
April 5th
Samu could be the perfect Duran replacement
The strikers are of a similar age, with the Porto “beast” slightly younger than Duran at 20-years-old, and the similarities don’t stop there. Most importantly, the Spaniard has a keen eye for goal, much like his potential predecessor, having scored 18 goals in 29 games in all competitions this season, including five in eight Europa League games.
The duo are also both impressive in the air, averaging a similar number of aerials won per 90 over the past year, with Omorodion placing in the 79th percentile and Duran ranking in the 81st.
Watkins is enjoying yet another impressive season with the Villans, taking his Premier League goal tally to 12 for the season after scoring in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool last night.
However, if the 29-year-old were to pick up an injury, Emery would be without an out-and-out striker to replace him, so it is important a new young forward is brought in this summer, and Omorodion has proven he could be up to the task.
Everton are now expected to offer a new contract to a key player who David Moyes is counting on moving forwards, according to a recent report.
Latest Everton news
It’s another point on the board at Brentford this week for the Toffees, who have now all but confirmed their Premier League status for another season. But while David Moyes won’t admit his side are safe, behind the scenes the club are putting plans in place in preparation for next season.
Friedkin now think they've sealed a deal for top off-field Everton target
Everton could be closing in on an impressive addition for off-field matters.
ByBrett Worthington Feb 27, 2025
It has now emerged that The Friedkin Group are confident that a deal is done to bring Angus Kinnear to Everton from Leeds United. It is claimed that while Kinnear remains well respected at Elland Road by the 49ers and chairman Paraag Marathe, there is real confidence from TFG that he will be at Goodison Park for the start of next season, as he is believed to be interested in a fresh start elsewhere.
Luis Henrique for Marseille.
That is great news for the Toffees, as they can potentially switch their focus to transfers now. Signing a new winger seems to be a top priority for Everton and Moyes, as they have been linked with a few players who play in that position.
It’s been reported that Marseille’s Luis Henrique is of interest to Everton and could replace Jack Harrison if he returns to Leeds. Meanwhile, Manor Solomon is also on Everton’s radar, as Tottenham are willing to sell the player for between £10-20 million after his impressive loan at Elland Road.
Everton to offer new contract to £130,000-p/w star
The Toffees are only working on transfers now, as according to Africa Foot relayed by Sport Witness, Everton are expected to offer a new contract to midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, whose current deal expires in the summer.
Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure
The report states that Everton are keen to keep hold of the 32-year-old beyond this current campaign, and an extension is on the cards, with him expected to sign a new deal until the summer of 2027.
Doucoure, who was labelled a “shining light” by former manager Sean Dyche, has been at Goodison Park since September 2020. The midfielder has been a key player for the Toffees in every season, playing a minimum of 25 games in the Premier League. Since Moyes arrived back at Everton, Doucoure has continued to be a regular in the team, starting six of the eight league games they have played.
Apps
156
Goals
20
Assists
13
This update claims that Moyes is counting on the Mali international beyond this season, as he’s made a big impact since his return. Doucoure is Everton’s highest earner, on £130,000 a week at Goodison Park, but it is unlikely Everton are going to increase that weekly wage, given the financial issues that have arisen in recent years.
The Premier League side have a few players coming to the end of their contracts this summer, so it makes sense for Moyes to keep hold of certain individuals he feels still offer something to him and the team, even if it is in the short term.