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An “unbelievable” Chelsea player is now keen to leave the club this summer, with intermediaries involved in talks over potential moves to Real Madrid or Atlético Madrid, according to a report.

Maresca set to reshape squad this summer

Despite confirming the additions of Sporting CP duo Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo, the Blues continue to be linked with a number of new additions ahead of the summer transfer window, with Enzo Maresca clearly keen on reshaping his squad.

However, given the need to abide by the Premier League’s PSR rules, Maresca may have to oversee some departures before spending big on new arrivals, and several players could be axed in the summer.

Joao Felix, who is currently on loan at AC Milan, has now given the green light to join Galatasaray on a permanent basis, with the same report revealing fellow forward Christopher Nkunku could also be in line for an exit.

Chelsea now set to bid to sign Barcelona star with £837m release clause

The Blues could make a big offer for a defender, who is protected by an astronomical release clause.

ByDominic Lund Mar 30, 2025

Speculation has also been mounting over Noni Madueke’s future in west London, with Aston Villa now believed to be in pole position to sign the winger, as the Blues become increasingly tempted to cash-in.

Chelsea could be willing to sanction Madueke’s departure, but they may also have to brace for interest in a player they are less keen to see leave, with a report from The Boot Room revealing Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are interested in Enzo Fernandez.

Fernandez would be keen on a move to Spain, with intermediaries currently talking to the two Spanish clubs about a potential deal, but Maresca’s side won’t make it easy, with the maestro’s deal not set to expire any time soon.

The Blues have no plans to green light the Argentina international’s departure, and given that he is contracted until the summer of 2032, they remain in a strong negotiating position.

"Unbelievable" Fernandez has kicked on this season

The west Londoners spent big to get a deal for the £180k-per-week midfielder over the line, shelling out £106.8m, and he has started to justify his hefty price tag this season, having emerged as one of the side’s most consistent performers in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old has also impressed on a number of key metrics for midfielders over the past year, most notably regularly providing goals and assists.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.15 (81st percentile)

Assists

0.23 (93rd percentile)

Progressive passes

6.90 (86th percentile)

Shot-creating actions

4.49 (96th percentile)

As such, it is little wonder some of Europe’s top clubs are queuing up for the “unbelievable” midfielder’s signature, but Chelsea should rebuff any approaches this summer, given his importance to the side.

With Fernandez contracted until 2032, there is little reason to sanction his departure unless he is unsettled, and Maresca will be hoping he is able to build on a much-improved 2024-25 campaign next season.

Luis Diaz appears to have put the ball in Liverpool's court over his Anfield future amid a reported Barcelona transfer update.

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Diaz says he's happy at LiverpoolThen puts ball in Reds' courtLinked with Barcelona moveFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mere hours after the Liverpool winger said he is "very happy at Liverpool", the 28-year-old appears to have suggested he is considering his best course of action for the future – at a time when Barcelona are keeping tabs on him. Diaz may be looking for a contract extension, running down his current terms that expire in 2027, or heading for pastures new.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT DIAZ SAID

In addition to his latest Liverpool comments, Diaz said, via Sport Witness: “If Liverpool don’t extend our contract, I still have the two years I have left with them, and I’ll be happy to stay there. Now it’s up to them. I’m here to decide and look at what’s best for us and the future."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite Liverpool telling Barcelona they have no intention of selling the Colombia international, Mundo Deportivo states Diaz will only consider leaving the Reds for the Blaugrana this summer. Moreover, Marca adds that the Catalan outfit are 'unfazed' by the Premier League champions' refusal to sell the former FC Porto star.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Reports suggest Barca are not 'ruling out' signing Diaz, especially after his latest comments. Moreover, Hansi Flick's team are in no rush to recruit him and even view Liverpool's stance as a 'possible negotiation strategy'.

Academy product follows Tongue and Pennington to Trent Bridge on three-year deal

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jul-2023Worcestershire have confirmed that Jack Haynes will leave at the end of the season to join Nottinghamshire.Haynes, 22, who came through Worcestershire’s academy and had been capped by England Lions, was out of contract and has agreed a three-year deal at Trent Bridge.A highly rated top-order batter, Haynes has impressed across formats since his first-team debut in 2019. He averages 34.91 in first-class cricket, with four hundreds, 42.63 in 11 List A appearances and has a T20 strike rate of 143.31.”Jack is already a good player though it his hunger to move his game forward that really excites me,” Nottinghamshire head coach, Peter Moores, said. “He has already gained valuable experience in red and white ball cricket, which gives him a great platform to build on going forward,””As a top-order batter in all formats he will strengthen our batting unit as well as adding healthy competition. We pride ourselves in helping players fulfil their potential and we have already seen many of our players move their games forwards at Trent Bridge.”We pride ourselves as a coaching team in creating opportunities for all our players to keep improving, knowing that as they improve, so do Notts. Helping players develop is one of the most exciting parts of coaching in my opinion.”Haynes made his England Lions debut in Sri Lanka over the winter and has also played for Oval Invincibles in the Hundred.”I’m really excited to move to Nottinghamshire,” Haynes said. “Trent Bridge is always a place I’ve loved coming to as a player; the club has a great feel about it, and the facilities and pitch are conducive to helping me develop as a cricketer.”When I sat down with Pete Moores and Ant Botha, they were both passionate about the direction of this squad, and how I can fit into it. I’m under no illusion that it’ll take hard work to nail down a place in the side and continue to grow in all formats, but Notts have a track record of taking on players and improving them to help them reach their potential.”Worcestershire have already seen two other homegrown players depart for Nottinghamshire this month, with Josh Tongue and Dillon Pennington making the move northeast, while another fast bowler, Pat Brown, has agreed to join Derbyshire.Worcestershire’s chief executive officer Ashley Giles said: “It is always disappointing to see a player nurtured by our own pathway and academy leave the club. We would like to take this opportunity to wish Jack every success in the future.”

Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish has seen a proposed move away from the club to Napoli hit a stumbling block due to his wage demands.

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Grealish expected to move this summerLeft out of Club World Cup squadHas been targeted by NapoliFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Serie A champions have been linked with a move for Grealish this summer as Antonio Conte's side aim to build on their title success. However, the move has hit a stumbling block as Napoli consider whether a deal can actually be done, according to . The Italian club will not match Grealish’s £300,000-a-week wages, meaning City would have to fund possibly as much as 50 per cent of his salary for a deal to be done.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

City are said to be "optimistic" they can sell Grealish this summer but an initial loan may be a more realistic option. The 29-year-old is eager to play regularly in the 2025-26 season as he tries to convince England manager Thomas Tuchel he deserves a place in his squad for World Cup 2026. Tuchel has already suggested Grealish needs to move this summer after a frustrating campaign last time out.

DID YOU KNOW?

Napoli are not the only club believed to be interested in Grealish. Aston Villa, Newcastle, Milan and Everton have also been linked with the City man this summer.

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GOALWHAT NEXT FOR GREALISH?

Grealish has looked in great shape when posting an update on holiday after being left out of Manchester City's Club World Cup squad. His next move is uncertain but a departure from City in the coming weeks certainly appears to be on the cards.

Head is just nine points behind the out-of-action Kane Williamson, and could become the new No. 1 by the end of the fourth Ashes Test

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-2023Travis Head has kept up his consistent rise in the ICC Test batters’ rankings, getting to a career best No. 2 at the end of the Headingley Test against England, just nine points behind Kane Williamson.England’s batting stars in that Test, which they won by three wickets, were Ben Stokes and Harry Brook, and they moved up five places to 18th and one place to 12th respectively.With Williamson not having played Test cricket since March because of a right knee injury, Head has a chance of getting to the No. 1 spot by the end of the fourth Ashes Test, to be played at Old Trafford from July 19. He has already scored 266 runs in three Ashes Tests so far, 116 of them coming in the last one.Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

While Head sparkled, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Joe Root had below-par outings at Headingley, and that meant a drop in the rankings for them. All of them moved down one spot – Smith to fourth, Labuschagne to fifth, and Root to sixth – and made room for Babar Azam to get to No. 3.The Headingley Test wasn’t a high-scoring one, and that was down to some special bowling performances, especially from Mark Wood. Playing his first Test since December 2022, Wood picked up 5 for 34 and 2 for 66, winning the Player-of-the-Match award in the process, and rose nine spots to No. 26th. His colleague Stuart Broad put in a good show too, picking up five wickets. That took him up four places to sixth.For the Australians, Pat Cummins returned 6 for 91 in the first innings, while Mitchell Starc had 2 for 59 and 5 for 78. Cummins stayed at No. 2, not far behind the top-ranked R Ashwin, while Starc went up three positions to 11th.

Lalas singled out the American rising star, saying he's the model of intensity coach Mauricio Pochettino is looking for

Lalas impressed with Luna's ability to exploit oppositionPraised U.S. player's positioning and decision-makingSays performance established Luna's credentials for futureGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

Former national team star Alexi Lalas praised Diego Luna’s performance in the USMNT’s 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago. The Real Salt Lake star started the Gold Cup opener and played a key role in two of the five goals, getting a pair of assists.

The 2002 MLS Cup winner believes that the USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino is using Luna as an example as to what he wants from the other players on the team.

“When it comes to Diego Luna, we've talked a lot about his spirit and his grit and his, you know, work and the effort that he that he puts in,” Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. “That was all there today. But I also thought, again, relative to some not-great competition, the places that he showed up, the way that he showed up – you know, his constant wanting the ball and then the confidence once he got on the ball – I thought this was really, really fun to see him recognize the opportunity.

“And let's be honest, this whole team, once they saw what they were up against, even a few minutes into the game, they had to have smelled blood. And I like that kind of ruthlessness that was part of this team and recognizing that they had, you know, kind of a wounded animal on their hands in Trinidad and Tobago – and the gifts that were being given. Diego Luna, I think came to light again and I think again positioned himself as somebody that Mauricio Pochettino, going forward is going to count on.”

AdvertisementWHAT ALEXI LALAS SAID

Lalas said that Pochettino – in wake the controversy over USMNT star Christian Pulisic skipping the Gold Cup – is pointing to the likes of Luna as the model for the intensity he's looking for on the squad.

“Pochettino has had his eyes opened relative to this team and certainly the Christian Pulisic thing," Lalas said. "He's picking and choosing his moments to make his point. And he is using Diego Luna as this conduit to show everybody else how he wants players to approach. There are players at home, but I think Mauricio Pochettino would honestly say, you know what, 'This is a more talented type of player.'

“But I think he wants to use Diego Luna to say, ‘Look, this guy might not be as talented as you, but that heart and that soul, that's what I want.' And guess what? That's what the American public wants to see. And if you can marry the two of them, then you're the complete player.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Diego Luna's emergence reflects the ongoing evolution of the USMNT player pool ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil. The 21-year-old has earned seven caps for the U.S., contributing to four goals despite limited minutes.

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Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

Following their 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago, the USMNT sit at the top of Group D and will face Saudi Arabia in their next game in the Gold Cup on Thursday.

Harry Kane and Michael Olise helped Bayern Munich narrowly defeat Argentine giants Boca Juniors in a thrilling Club World Cup encounter in Miami.

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Kane gets first CWC goalOlise scores winnerBayern into knockout stagesWatch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowTELL ME MORE

Kane watched as his Bayern team-mates scored 10 goals without him in their tournament opener against Auckland City in Cincinnati. But in the team's second game he made sure his impact was felt, as Die Roten escaped with a 2-1 win in front of a packed, and largely pro-Boca, crowd at Hard Rock Stadium.

After the Bavarian giants had an early goal ruled out after a VAR review, the Englishman opened the scoring in the 18th minute, pouncing on a ricocheted ball and rolling it into the bottom corner. The first 25 minutes were an attacking onslaught from the German club, but despite their dominance, Bayern couldn’t convert several golden chances.

Kingsley Coman completely mis-hit a ball served perfectly to him on the goal-line by Serge Gnabry. Olise then found himself one-on-one with Agustin Marchesin, but the Boca goalkeeper smothered the ball before the winger could finish. The Frenchman also forced Marchesin into a brilliant save from a free-kick.

After withstanding heavy pressure for most of the first period, Boca – fuelled by their passionate supporters – fought back. Their breakthrough came in the 65th minute, when Rodrigo Andres Battaglia intercepted a pass and launched a perfect through ball to Miguel Merentiel. The striker danced past Josip Stanisic and blasted a shot past Manuel Neuer, igniting Hard Rock Stadium and swinging momentum toward Boca.

But Olise responded. The 23-year-old found space in a crowded box and finally beat Marchesin with a pinpoint finish from Kane's layoff with six minutes left to play, effectively sealing the win for Bayern, who had a late third ruled out for offside. With the result, Bayern advance to the knockout stage, while Boca will now need to beat Auckland to have a chance of advancing – depending on the score of the Benfica-Bayern match on Matchday 3.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

The result ends the strong start by South American teams at the tournament, marking CONMEBOL's first loss.

AFPTHE MVP

Despite being fruitless in the first half, Olise's work rate was impressive. He was central to a lot of the positive attacking moments for Bayern and didn't appear to let his missed shots affect him in the second half. He was relentless and showed ice in his veins for his match-winner.

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THE BIG LOSER

It's tough to find fault on a team that punched so highly above its weight but Boca's defence struggled whenever Bayern got into the box. With both Kane and Olise's goals, there was poor positioning and players left open. It's also important to note this is the second-straight game where Miguel Angel Russo's side conceded costly goals that saw the result go against them. Boca had a 2-0 lead against Benfica, only for the Portuguese giants to hit back twice and snatch a draw. The Argentine club can't afford any slip-ups against Auckland, a team that is playing for pride at this stage after being eliminated following a 6-0 loss to Benfica.

The fast bowler conceded a boundary first ball, and then bounced back to rock Ireland

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-20230.1 Bumrah to Balbirnie, FOUR runs
Not a good start for Bumrah, a great start for Balbirnie. Full and straight and just a gentle nudge behind square sees the ball race away as Ireland get off the mark0.2 Bumrah to Balbirnie, OUT
BOOOOOM! Knocks him over! Full outside off, seaming in to take the inside edge onto the stumps as Balbirnie hangs his bat out limply0.3 Bumrah to Tucker, no run
Length ball seaming in again. Tucker manages to fend this0.4 Bumrah to Tucker, no run
Booming inswinging yorker at 135kph from Bumrah and Tucker manages to jam his bat down to keep that out0.5 Bumrah to Tucker, OUT
Bumrah has another! Tucker goes across to a length ball outside off and he tries to ramp it but manages to just spoon it behind. Easy pickings for Sanju Samson as Bumrah celebrates0.6 Bumrah to Tector, no run
Searing inswinger again, at 132kph, Tector plays it out to cover

FIFA is being urged to make big changes to the 2026 World Cup amid concerns around extreme heat in the United States.

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FIFA urged to make 2026 World Cup changesConcerns over extreme heat in United StatesRevised kick-off times encouragedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The international players' union, FIFPRO, says the conditions at this summer's Club World Cup in the United States, which have been in the high 30s, are likely to be replicated at next year's World Cup and, therefore, changes should be made for footballers' welfare. The union wants FIFA to increase drinks breaks, extend half-time intervals from 15 to 20 minutes, and consider moving kick-off starts to cooler times.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT FIFA HAVE BEEN TOLD

FIFPRO's chief medical officer, Professor Vincent Gouttebarge, told The Times: "Only giving players 15 minutes is not enough at these temperatures – you cannot ingest enough in such a short time. If we anticipate the biggest tournament on earth next year and in Mexico as well there are some venues where games played during the afternoon are likely to be very extreme for health and performance of the players. We are anticipating that there are going to be more problems for the coming years in the 2030 World Cup in Spain and Portugal, perhaps even worse."

The union's director of global policy, Alexander Bielefeld, added: "What we have seen in the Club World Cup has to be a wake-up call for FIFA. It’s clear that certain areas in the USA, especially in Florida, where there is a higher risk and a need to avoid midday kick-offs – so games scheduled in these cities should be moved to a later time. The health and safety of players must take priority over commercial interests, including the broadcasters."

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The United States, Mexico, and Canada are preparing to host the 2026 World Cup but this extreme weather could provide them with a real issue. FIFPRO state that nine of the 16 host cities have "very high" or "extremely high" risk of heat stress injuries during the tournament, which could force the competition organisers into a rethink.

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AFPWHAT NEXT?

As concerns mount about high temperatures at the Club World Cup, questions will continue to fester over whether or not changes will be made for next year's World Cup – which gets underway on June 11, 2026, and runs until July 19, 2026.