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The Blues staged an impressive fightback, with two of their substitutes making significant contributions late on in the 3-2 win

Chelsea always seem to do things the hard way. It took them until the final 10 minutes of the game to finally start playing against Nottingham Forest, ultimately showing impressive character to turn what looked as if it was going to be a defeat into all three points.

It was the Blues who started on the front foot – Mykhailo Mudryk giving the visitors the lead after eight minutes, darting inside Willy Boly in the box before sliding the ball past Matz Sels. It didn't last long, though, with Boly heading home via a deflection off Conor Gallagher to level things up.

The hosts, needing a point to secure their Premier League survival, went ahead after 74 minutes as Callum Hudson-Odoi tormented his former club by cutting inside and bending an effort past Djordje Petrovic in the Chelsea goal.

The game then went a bit bonkers, with the Blues scoring twice in quick succession, through substitute Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson – who had had a nightmare 81 minutes until his goal, put on a plate for him by the returning Reece James – to stage an impressive late comeback and keep their European qualification hopes very much alive.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the City Ground…

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Djordje Petrovic (6/10):

Big save inside two minutes as Chris Wood tried to lob him. Not his fault for either Forest goal.

Trevoh Chalobah (5/10):

Struggled to cope with the dangerous Hudson-Odoi and offered very little going forward after being given the nod at right-back. Moved inside when Gusto came on.

Thiago Silva (7/10):

A typically assured and solid performance from the Brazilian centre-back, who came out on top in his battle with Wood. Unlucky not to score as he glanced a clever header against the post in the second half.

Benoit Badiashile (5/10):

Got caught out inside two minutes by Wood's run in behind him but settled into the game after that. Sacrificed for Gusto as Pochettino attempted to deal with the growing threat posed by Hudson-Odoi.

Marc Cucurella (5/10):

Was deployed in an inverted full-back role but wasn't particularly effective, either in defence or attack.

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Moises Caicedo (5/10):

Allowed Morgan Gibbs-White to nick the ball off him and race away to set-up Hudson-Odoi for Forest's second goal. Had been okay until that point.

Conor Gallagher (5/10):

Forest fans wanted him sent off for dragging down Hudson-Odoi but Cucurella's position ultimately saved him. A pretty ineffective display from the Chelsea captain.

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Noni Madueke (4/10):

Struggled to get into the game as ex-Chelsea defender Ola Aina marshalled him well. Hooked before the hour mark as Pochettino had seen enough.

Cole Palmer (7/10):

Claimed the assist for Mudryk's opener with a delightful through ball that cut right through the Forest backline. Looked a threat throughout.

Mykhailo Mudryk (6/10):

Started the game superbly well as he showed supreme composure to give Chelsea the lead. Faded after that, though, and was a passenger before eventually coming off for Sterling.

Nicolas Jackson (6/10):

Ran down blind alleys on multiple occasions in the first half and was at fault for the Forest goal, as he didn't bother following Boly's run. Headed into an empty net for the winner to save his bacon somewhat.

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Malo Gusto (5/10):

Came on for Badiashile after 58 minutes but couldn't stop Hudson-Odoi from cutting inside and bending his effort into the far corner. Wasted a huge chance to score a fourth in stoppage time.

Christopher Nkunku (6/10):

Replaced the ineffective Madueke just before the hour mark and took up a No.10 role. Didn't manage to impact the game as much as he'd have liked.

Raheem Sterling (7/10):

Brought on for Mudryk with about 15 minutes to go and made an immediate impact, scoring the equaliser with a jinking run inside and smart finish into the corner.

Reece James (7/10):

A welcome return to action – his first appearance since December 2023 and his pinpoint cross left Jackson with the simple task of scoring the winner.

Mauricio Pochettino (7/10):

Changed the game with his substitutions after realising his starting XI weren't up to the job. Is helping inspire a recovery at the end of the season and clearly deserves more time to put things right.

Leeds United have enjoyed a strong start to the 2023/24 campaign and are currently fighting to catch up with the top two in the Championship.

The Whites are third as it stands and seven points adrift of Ipswich Town in second place, and eight points behind league leaders Leicester City.

German tactician Daniel Farke was brought in to replace Sam Allardyce at the helm and arrived with plenty of experience at this level, having won two Championship titles during his time with Norwich City.

The board backed him throughout the summer transfer window as nine new players came through the door; including Karl Darlow, Ilia Gruev, Jaidon Anthony, Djed Spence, Joe Rodon, Joel Piroe, Ethan Ampadu, Sam Byram, and Glen Kamara.

That may not be the end of the club's business this season, though, as Angus Kinnear did reveal that there will be funds available to the manager if further reinforcements are needed in January.

With this in mind, Farke could look to revisit his interest in a summer target who slipped through his grasp towards the end of the summer window – Ilias Chair – as the talented whiz could be his next version of Todd Cantwell.

Leeds transfer news – Ilias Chair

Journalist Darren Witcoop revealed on deadline day at the start of September that the Whites were keen on a deal to sign the Morocco international from QPR.

Leeds were said to have emerged as a late contender to secure his signature and that they were prepared to pay the £6m fee that their Championship rivals had been demanding.

However, Farke and Nick Hammond were too late as it did not give QPR enough time to find a replacement before the window slammed shut, which meant that Chair ultimately stayed with the London club.

League leaders Leicester were also eyeing up the impressive winger as a target to bolster their forward options but they needed outgoings to free up space for him in their squad.

Chair is under contract with QPR until the end of the 2024/25 campaign and the club have an option to extend that by a further year, which suggests that they are not under any pressure to cash in on him.

Leeds must now persuade them to part ways with the talented whiz in January, possibly by stumping up the £6m fee early enough to give them time to find a replacement, as they could lose one of their own forwards.

TEAMtalk reported at the end of October that Roma, Lazio, and Everton are all eyeing up Wilfried Gnonto as a target ahead of the January window.

The Italy international is said to want to play in the Premier League and saw a move to Goodison Park fall through over the summer as Leeds opted to keep hold of the 20-year-old dynamo.

It was also stated that sources close to the player believe that a transfer away from Elland Road is possible for the former Inter prospect at the start of next year.

Chair could come in as a replacement for the versatile attacker whilst also arriving as Farke's next version of Cantwell, who was a star for the German boss at this level with Norwich.

Cantwell's Championship form for Farke

The attacking midfielder made his breakthrough at Championship level under the current Leeds manager during the 2018/19 campaign.

Norwich won promotion to the Premier League that season, by winning the title, and Cantwell made 24 appearances and 18 starts in his first full year of senior football in Norfolk.

The then-20-year-old contributed with one goal, two assists, and six 'big chances' created in that time as he failed to provide consistent quality at the top end of the pitch.

He followed that up with six goals and two assists in 30 starts in the Premier League for Canaries as they were relegated from the top-flight the following term.

This provided Farke and Cantwell with another opportunity to take the Championship by storm, and that is exactly what they did – alongside the likes of Teemu Pukki and Emiliano Buendia.

The Norwich academy graduate produced six goals, six assists, and seven 'big chances' created in 30 league starts as the Canaries won another second division title.

Appearances

33

Sofascore rating

7.17

Goals

Six

Assists

Six

Key passes

53

Dribbles completed

53

Cantwell, who predominantly plays as a left winger or as a number ten, was an impressive attacker who liked to dribble, score goals, and create chances for his teammates on a regular basis and Chair could provide similar qualities for Farke this season.

The statistics that show why Chair could be Cantwell 2.0

The QPR star endured a difficult start to this season as part of Gareth Ainsworth's very direct system that did not allow him to flourish in possession.

Marti Cifuentes arrived in the dugout and has helped the 26-year-old whiz to get back to his best as an attacker who can score goals, create chances, and beat players with the ball at his feet, as shown by the table below.

Starts

Three

Sofascore rating

7.75

Goals

One

Assists

Two

Key passes

Five

Dribbles completed

Seven

Chair had zero goals and two assists in his previous 14 Championship appearances, which shows that his new boss has got him firing again.

The right-footed magician, who was once hailed as an "exciting" prospect by pundit Glenn Murray, came into this season off the back of an impressive 2022/23 campaign.

He racked up five goals, nine assists, and 12 'big chances' created in 40 Championship outings for QPR, to go along with 2.4 key passes and 1.4 dribbles per match.

Chair also averaged 4.73 progressive passes and 4.26 progressive carries per 90 last season, which placed him within the top 12% of players in his position within the division.

These statistics indicate that the EFL wizard, who also predominantly plays on the left or as an attacking midfielder, has the quality to be Farke's next version of Cantwell.

He has the ability as a scorer and a creator to make an impact at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis in the right set-up, as shown by his form last term and under Cifuentes recently.

Alisha Lehmann and Douglas Luiz have had fun playing with a TikTok filter that morphed them into a solider and priest respectively.

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Swiss star back with Brazilian beauMaking the most of free timeAll smiles on journey to eventWHAT HAPPENED?

The Aston Villa stars, who rekindled their romance towards the end of 2023, have been hanging out again during a break in their respective Premier League and WSL playing schedules. Luiz was banned for Villa’s victory over Arsenal at the weekend, while Lehmann is not due to be back in action until Wednesday.

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They have been making the most of an opportunity to spend some quality time together, with the pair going for a dog walk that saw Lehmann sport a pair of roller skates – leading to her clinging to the arm of her partner in a bid to remain upright.

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Lehmann and Luiz have also got dressed up for a big night out, with the couple being escorted to an event staged by the Brazil Football Federation. En route to that destination, with time to fill, Lehmann and Luiz used a TikTok filter to transform themselves into a solider and priest!

MatériaMais Notícias

Após três jogos sem vitória no Campeonato Brasileiro, o Flamengo voltou a triunfar nessa segunda-feira, batendo o Goiás por 3 a 0, em Goiânia. Um dos destaques da partida foi Arrascaeta, autor do primeiro gol da partida. Foi o 6º do uruguaio na competição e o 10º na temporada.

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O meia agora se isolou como o 4º maior artilheiro estrangeiro da história do Brasileirão, deixando para trás o argentino D’Alessandro, ídolo do Internacional que deixou o clube gaúcho recentemente. São 41 tentos do atual camisa 14 rubro-negro na competição desde a sua chegada ao país para defender o Cruzeiro, em 2015.
Agora, apenas o sérvio Petkovic, outro ídolo da Gávea, o peruano Paolo Guerrero, que também passou pelo time carioca, e o colombiano Aristizábal, aparecem à frente de Arrascaeta. Confira a lista atualizada:

MAIORES ARTILHEIROS ESTRANGEIROS DA HISTÓRIA DO BRASILEIRO

1º – Petkovic – sérvio – 83 gols
2º – Paolo Guerrero – peruano – 55 gols
3º – Aristizábal – colombiano – 48 gols
4º – Arrascaeta – uruguaio – 41 gols
5º – D’Alessandro – argentino – 40 gols
6º – Hernán Barcos – argentino – 38 gols
7º – Rodolfo Fischer – argentino – 37 gols
8º – Conca – argentino – 36 gols
9º – Marcelo Moreno – boliviano – 34 gols
10º – Pedro Rocha – uruguaio – 31 gols
Doval – argentino – 31 gols
Arce – paraguaio – 31 gols

Rangers could be looking for new signings to aid their Scottish Premiership title push, and one player has hinted at a move to Ibrox when 2024 arrives.

Rangers-Celtic title race

The Gers have already made improvements since Philippe Clement replaced Michael Beale in the Ibrox hot seat, with results and performances already better than they were previously. It is still clear that Clement's side have a huge amount of work to do in order to chase down rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race, even though the Hoops' 0-0 draw away to Hibernian on Saturday has given them more hope of wrestling the trophy away from them next year.

For that to happen, it could be that new faces are required when the January transfer window rolls around, in order to give the manager more options all over the pitch. It looks as though one intriguing move could potentially happen in 2024, following a key update regarding one player who is well-known to Gers supporters.

Helander's Rangers return

Speaking to The Daily Record, Filip Helander hinted that he could return to Rangers on a free transfer in 2024, having previously represented the club for four years:

"I’m not aware of the injury I had at all, which is great. And I think I can still achieve a lot in the game. That’s something I have in my mind. I try to set goals in terms of what I want to do.

"I’m only 30 so hopefully I have a good few years left in me. Because I was out for a long time it’s almost like I feel MORE healthy now. It’s about making up for lost time. That’s how I’m trying to look at it. I hope to have a good season here in Denmark and see what happens after that.

“I’ve only signed a one-year deal at Odense. They weren’t certain whether I’d be fit or not. So it was a good place to hopefully get game time. Could I come back to Rangers for free next summer? You never know."

Helander was an impressive performer for Rangers between 2019 and earlier this year, when he departed to join Danish side OB, proving to be a consistent performer at centre-back. A dominant figure, Helander's stats in a Gers shirt highlight the influence that he enjoyed for the Scottish giants, racking up 60 appearances in that time and also winning 21 caps for Sweden at international level, with injuries arguably preventing him from having higher tallies.

Former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is someone who always appreciated the 30-year-old, once hailing the "great leadership" that he possesses in his game, and the fact that he would be available on a free transfer at the end of the season would make it less of a risk – Helander's contract expires next summer – in terms of the Gers bringing him back to the club.

At 30, he still has plenty to offer, as Helander himself alludes to in his comments, and having another good option at the heart of the defence can only increase Clement's side going from strength to strength, possibly making this one to watch.

Celtic are seemingly looking to broaden their relations with another club off the field after the pair held talks over deepening their relationship, according to a fresh report.

Celtic updates…

Despite holding pride of place at the top of the Scottish game, Celtic have struggled over recent years to bring through youngsters from their academy base in Lennoxtown and subsequently develop them into first-team regulars at Parkhead. In Brendan Rodgers' current squad, club captain Callum McGregor, James Forrest, Anthony Ralston, Stephen Welsh and peripheral figure Mikey Johnston all fall under the umbrella of Lennoxtown graduates; meanwhile, young stars such as Rocco Vata and Ben Summers have also had brief involvement at senior level over the past year.

Nevertheless, there is a feeling among some supporters that more could be done to facilitate a pathway for youngsters at Parkhead, which is a sentiment Rodgers seems to share, at least if his pre-season interview in early July is anything to go by. Speaking about some of Celtic's young players training with the senior squad during pre-season, the Northern Irishman said: "They’ve been pleasantly surprising. They’ve been really, really good. Sometimes a young player can come in and suffer with the intensity of the training with the first team, but they’ve all coped really well. So that’s been pleasing."

Other avenues of helping Celtic prospects gain experience have also begun to come to fruition for the Scottish Premiership holders, such as their decision to send Adam Montgomery and Bosun Lawal to Fleetwood Town on loan amid tentative suggestions of an off-field link between the two sides.

Celtic also announced a tie-in with Austrian second-tier side Admira Wacker this year and farmed out talented duo Matthew Anderson and Tobi Oluwayemi on loan to the Modling-based outfit to gain first-team exposure. Now, it seems that Celtic and Admira Wacker have moved to deepen their relationship with each other following new reports relating to their connection.

Celtic and Celtic B players currently out on loan (Transfermarkt)

Player

Loan club

Sead Haksabanovic

Stoke City

Yosuke Ideguchi

Avispa Fukuoka

Adam Montgomery

Fleetwood Town

Liam Shaw

Wigan Athletic

Johnny Kenny

Shamrock Rovers

Tobi Oluwayemi

Admira Wacker

Bosun Lawal

Fleetwood Town

Matthew Anderson

Admira Wacker

Ben Summers

Dunfermline Athletic

Ben McPherson

Queens Park

Celtic and Admira Wacker partnership

Cited by The National, Admira Wacker sporting director Peter Stoger and his staff members formed part of a delegation that travelled to Parkhead last week to take in the Hoops' Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid and also discussed formalising their link status, even holding a meeting with Celtic boss Rodgers during their time in Scotland. Stoger spoke about the visit, stating:

"It was about discussing how we can continue to develop cooperation between the clubs. You look for win-win situations where everyone benefits. And Celtic are really very interested in the partnership.

"There’s a good chance we can expand the partnership, but it won’t happen overnight. We also had a meeting with Brendan Rodgers. The Atletico game was fantastic and Celtic Park is definitely one of the best stadiums in Europe with an incredible atmosphere."

In a footballing climate where the threat of young stars being poached by English clubs continues to threaten Celtic's ability to keep hold of prodigious talent, outlets such as partnerships with other sides are becoming an increasingly valuable resource nationwide, making this one to watch.

Newcastle United have been dealt an injury blow to one of their first-team stars, who is facing a race to be fit in time for the Premier League game vs Crystal Palace next weekend.

Which Newcastle players are currently injured?

At St. James’ Park, Eddie Howe has Joelinton, Sven Botman, Joe Willock and Emil Krafth all out on the sidelines, alongside Harvey Barnes who is facing an ever bigger period of time away from the action having sustained a serious foot injury, which will keep him out until at least next year.

Last Sunday, the northeast outfit played out a 2-2 top-flight draw with West Ham United at the London Stadium, getting another point on the board which means they find themselves eighth in the table heading into the international break, but despite the positive result, there was a negative to occur that day.

After 86 minutes, Alexander Isak, who scored both of the goals in the capital, signalled to the boss that he needed to be substituted after being on the receiving end of a knock which saw him replaced by Callum Wilson, who is now back to full fitness.

The Sweden international was named in his nation’s squad for their upcoming fixtures against Moldova and Belgium, but despite having reported for training, examinations have shown that the 24-year-old striker won’t be available to represent his country (The Athletic).

Alexander Isak injury update

Taking to X, Jacob Whitehead confirmed an Alexander Isak injury update – Newcastle's centre-forward has had to leave Sweden's camp and return to Tyneside to begin his road to recovery, where he is hoping to be available for next weekend's fixture at St. James' Park.

"Alexander Isak withdraws from Sweden squad with injury. Statement says 'it is clear' that he would not be fit for Sweden's matches next week. Race to recover for #NUFC vs Crystal Palace."

How many goals does Alexander Isak have for Newcastle?

Since joining Newcastle last summer from Real Sociedad, Isak has racked up 20 contributions, 17 goals and three assists, in 37 appearances (Transfermarkt – Isak statistics), so should he for whatever reason not make it back in time for the next domestic game, it would be a real setback for Howe to not have him at his disposal.

Sponsored by Adidas, the attacker has also recorded 17 shots so far this term which is more than any of his fellow teammates (FBRef – Newcastle statistics), highlighting his desire to find the back of the net, and he even provides a strong physical presence with his height.

Standing at 6 foot 3, Howe’s “big unit”, as described by journalist Josh Bunting, is a real target man in the final third, making himself a handful for an opposition’s defence to deal with, and it’s not just leading the line that he’s comfortable with.

Isak, who pockets £120k-per-week (Newcastle salaries), has the versatility to operate out wide on both the left and right flanks alongside through the middle, so the manager will be hoping that his prized asset is able to return to the pitch as soon as possible.

Liverpool have had some ups and downs over the past few years, which is expected after the Reds achieved the highs of winning the Premier League and the Champions League between 2019 and 2020.

Jurgen Klopp has had the pleasure of coaching some of the world’s best over his tenure at Anfield, with some stars being far more memorable than others.

Last year, the German became the victim of orchestrating arguably one of Liverpool’s worst exchanges of the Premier League era, as Arthur Melo arrived on loan.

When did Liverpool sign Arthur?

Following the close of the 2022 summer transfer window, Liverpool announced the arrival of Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo on a season-long loan from Juventus.

The deal included the option to make his move permanent for £32m, a prospect that the Reds didn’t even need to consider by the time the midfielder departed at the expiration of his loan.

At the point of his arrival, the Brazilian had eased the Merseyside outfit’s injury woes in the midfield, as Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were absentees at the time.

The former Barcelona ace told the club’s site, as relayed by Sky Sports, that his “ideas and visions were a good fit” for Liverpool, a statement that was far from relayed on the pitch.

How much did Arthur cost Liverpool?

While Klopp decided against triggering the £32m option to buy Arthur, the Brazil international still cost the Reds a considerable amount due to his wage demands and the £4m loan fee paid to Juventus.

Earning £110k-per-week at Anfield, Arthur was picking up a higher salary than the likes of squad essentials Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate, despite making little impact during his season at the club.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Brazilian cost Liverpool a staggering £5.7m in wages alone, which amounted to him costing £9.7m per appearance, fusing his salary, loan fee and single appearance.

It was a dreadful outcome for both player and club, as after playing 13 minutes in the Champions League in September, Arthur’s time at Liverpool was essentially over as it began.

In early October, the Fiorentina midfielder suffered a muscle tear in training, which required surgery to fix, leaving him out of action for 145 days.

Time stopped for Arthur, but continued at Liverpool, and as players returned, arrived and performed, the Brazilian’s situation at Anfield remained stagnant and the possibility of him securing regular game time became impossible.

Three appearances for the U21 and seven outings on the bench as an unused substitute in the Premier League concluded the Juventus loanee’s time on Merseyside, leaving having played just 13 minutes over the campaign.

Journalist Henry Jackson branded the deal as “pointless”, which was a valid description, and as much as it was an agonisingly unfortunate situation for the midfielder, the Reds were contracted to pay his fees for the duration of the season.

13 minutes of football over the 2022/23 footballing calendar cost the Reds almost £10m, and marked what was possibly the worst loan situation in Premier League history, as the player now resides back in Italy with Fiorentina.

Jude Bellingham screamed obscenities at referee Gil Manzano after the final whistle was blown seconds before he scored for Real Madrid at Valencia.

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Bellingham netted a headerFinal whistle had already blownEngland midfielder sent off for reactionWHAT HAPPENED?

Bellingham netted a header with the score at 2-2 but the final whistle had already been blown by Manzano, seemingly before the cross was played in. Bellingham, though, confronted the official after the game in chaotic scenes, and was subsequently shown a red card.

AdvertisementWHAT BELLINGHAM SAID

Per Fabrizio Romano, Bellingham said: "It's a f*cking goal, the ball is in the air, what the f*ck is that?!"

Bellingham also retweeted a fan's tweet, claiming that it was a "scandal" that the goal was chalked off.

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Real had come from 2-0 down to level proceedings, thanks to a brace from Vinicius Junior. They remain top of La Liga after the draw and are now seven points clear of second-placed Girona and nine clear of Barcelona in third. Both chasing sides have a game in hand, however, so the lead may well shrink on Sunday.

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Real will reportedly appeal Bellingham's red card and it remains to be seen whether he will be available for next weekend's clash with Celta Vigo. First, they play RB Leipzig in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday; they hold a 1-0 lead.

Chelsea could offer one of their men an opportunity to stake his claim long-term at Stamford Bridge following recent developments regarding his contract situation, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Chelsea?

According to The Guardian, Chelsea will look to prioritise bringing in an experienced striker to help with their goal flow in the final third of the pitch and to alleviate pressure bestowed upon the shoulders of Nicolas Jackson. Brentford's Ivan Toney and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen are both being targeted by the Blues as they look to try and return to a position where they are capable of challenging for the top honours in English football.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano meanwhile has shared quotes from Mauricio Pochettino on X detailing his satisfaction with the improvement Mykhailo Mudryk has been showing in recent weeks, which read: Pochettino: "Trust me, Mudryk is really making a massive effort to try to integrate himself. He's trying to understand better what it means to play like a team but he is young and for sure he is going to improve. We are so happy in how he is improving."

Journalist Ben Jacobs has informed GIVEMESPORT that Mudryk has also formed close relationships with England international Ben Chilwell and Senegalese striker Jackson as he continues to try and live up to his £88.5 million price tag.

Chelsea travel to face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Monday as the Blues aim to secure just their second victory of the Premier League campaign and begin to move up the divisional standings. Midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka has returned to full training and may be available for the west London derby after being absent since his side's 3-1 defeat to West Ham United back in August.

Who could sign a new contract at Chelsea?

According to Football Insider, Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen has opened talks over a new deal at Stamford Bridge after Pochettino changed his mind on the 21-year-old in a fresh twist, given that the Argentinian coach was open to letting him leave in the summer transfer window for the right fee.

Pochettino apparently changed tact and prevented Maatsen from leaving Chelsea late in the window despite the club initially accepting an offer for his services from Burnley, and it's believed his strong showing in pre-season in several different roles may have earned him a second chance in west London.

Maatsen has managed to make just seven appearances in his time at Stamford Bridge and will undoubtedly be keen to unseat both Levi Colwill and Chilwell as he aims to feature more often on the left-hand side of defence, as per Transfermarkt.

The Netherlands international, who was labelled "exceptional" by former teammate Simon Moore, also leads the way in comparison to his positional peers across the next 14 competitions around Europe in the field of attempted passes, averaging around 74.65 per 90 minutes in the last 365 days, putting him in the 98th percentile for this metric, as per FBRef.

Looking ahead, Chelsea will be keen to continue the momentum from their victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup last week and will also hope to tie Maatsen down to a new deal before his contract expires next summer.