Leeds United owners 49ers Enterprises are now thought to be plotting to give a new contract to a “magnificent” player who has just over 18 months left on his current deal, according to a fresh claim.

Farke's future at Leeds in doubt

The future of Daniel Farke at Elland Road is a major talking point currently, with the German under pressure after a hit-and-miss start to the Championship season for his Whites team. In fairness, Leeds do still sit sixth in the league table, helped by last Saturday’s 2-0 win away to Cardiff City, but this is a squad expected to push for automatic promotion.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, potential replacements are being looked at for Farke, should 49ers Enterprises decide to part company with him, and West Brom manager Carlos Corberan has been linked with the job, as he continues to do his reputation no harm at all.

The 41-year-old has guided the Baggies to the top of the Championship, following five wins and a draw from their six matches this season to date, with former Leeds academy player Romario Vieira even describing him as a “genius”. While the managerial situation is headline news at the moment, a key update has now emerged regarding the future of a current Leeds player.

Leeds want new deal for "magnificent" star

According to Football Insider, Leeds want to hand a new deal to Dan James, as the 49ers group look to tie down one of the most influential attacking players at the club. It is stated that the Whites are set to open talks to extend the 26-year-old’s stay at Elland Road, in order to avoid “entering the final 18 months of his deal with no agreement in place”.

Giving James a new-and-improved contract at Leeds is a no-brainer for 49ers, considering what an important figure he has become since trading Manchester United for the Whites back in 2021. Having been loaned out to Fulham in 2022/23, the £2.6m-a-year Welshman has impressed since returning, with Sky Sports pundit Michael Dawson heaping praise on him, calling him “absolutely magnificent”.

Leeds United

89

18

12

Manchester United

74

9

9

Fulham

39

6

10

Swansea City

23

3

1

James bagged 13 goals and seven assists in the Championship last season, which helped Leeds get into the playoff final, and he has started to consistently bring end product to the team, which was seen by some as a weak aspect of his game in the past.

Still only 26 years of age, there is still so much more to come from the former United winger, who has seven goals in 53 caps for Wales, and the fact that he is out of contract in the summer of 2026 highlights why it is so important to get an extension sorted as soon as possible.

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That would put Leeds in a far stronger bargaining position than they currently are, should James suddenly look to leave the club, and more importantly tie down a crucial player for the foreseeable future.

Arne Slot is reportedly "not impressed" by Federico Chiesa's "application and mentality" at Liverpool, with the Italian now being linked with an exit.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Slot unimpressed with Chiesa
• Italian winger could leave Liverpool this month
• Has played only four games for the Reds

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chiesa joined Liverpool from Juventus for a cut-price £11 million ($14.4m) fee with add-ons in the summer transfer window. The Italian winger was expected to take some of the burden off Mohamed Salah and act as a cover for the Egyptian, however, his first six months in England have been a complete nightmare. The winger has appeared in only four matches across all competitions, clocking just 18 minutes in the Premier League, as he's struggled to maintain full fitness.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 27-year-old was left out of Liverpool's matchday squad against West Ham last Sunday and according to journalist Peter Staunton, Slot is "not impressed" with Chiesa's "application and mentality", which suggests he has not been working hard enough in training. Chiesa is said to be homesick and not fond of the weather in England, while he has also struggled to adjust to the physicality of the Premier League.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  While Chiesa's current deal runs until 2027, it is unlikely that he will stay at Anfield until the end of his contract. The Italy international is being tipped to head back to his homeland in the January transfer window, with Napoli, Fiorentina and Inter all reportedly keen on signing him.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  The Premier League leaders will play their first match of 2025 on Sunday as they take on arch-rivals Manchester United at Anfield. It remains to be seen whether Slot recalls Chiesa to his matchday squad amid mounting speculation over the winger's future.

Aston Villa fans would have been dreaming of watching their team topple the might of Bayern Munich when filtering into Villa Park last night, imagining their side upsetting the odds and stifling the free-flowing Bavarian giants by picking up an unbelievable second win in the Champions League.

Those wild dreams would become a reality as Unai Emery’s men managed to get over the line come full-time and shock Vincent Kompany’s Bayern 1-0, courtesy of yet another strike off the bench from devastating impact substitute Jhon Duran.

It was a determined team effort in the end that ensured Villa would upset the Bundesliga titans, with the game showing off Emery’s men at their best defensively, as much as it also reinforced their dangerous nature to be clinical when needed.

Top performers from Villa's win over Bayern

Touching on the shut-out Villa managed to pull off, Emiliano Martinez would have walked off the pitch at the end overjoyed with his individual showing against the visitors from Germany, having kept a clean sheet even when being regularly tested by the likes of Harry Kane and Serge Gnabry.

The South American shot-stopper would tally up a staggering seven saves in total, with Birmingham Live journalist John Townley after the game rewarding his efforts with a faultless 10/10 match rating.

In attack, Villa also impressed, even if Ollie Watkins would exit the field of play without a goal next to his name, as Duran delivered the goods once more in the England international’s place.

Only needing one shot on target to leave his mark on proceedings, the Colombian’s name will now be etched into Villa folklore forever more, after catching an onrushing Manuel Neuer napping with a clever finish to win the tie.

That means the explosive 20-year-old is averaging a goal every 48 minutes for his side so far this season, with this strike against Bayern the pick of the bunch from his five goals to date.

The home side’s defence got called into question after a shaky display against Ipswich Town before this clash under the lights, with Martinez undoubtedly helped in his mission to keep a clean sheet by the likes of Pau Torres also shining at the back, who was as important as both the World Cup winner and Duran on the night to help the famous win be secured.

Torres' performance in numbers

Emery stuck by the same back four that wobbled away at Portman Road and was vindicated for not going overboard with changes, as the Spanish centre-back stood out amongst a strong defensive effort.

The standout Villa number 14 even had his moment in the spotlight in the first half, when he thought he had opened the scoring after tapping home an opportunity that fell kindly to him, only for VAR to cruelly intervene and judge Jacob Ramsey to be offside in the build-up.

Stat

Torres

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

55

Accurate passes

36/42 (86%)

Total duels won

4/5

Clearances

4

Blocked shots

3

Tackles

4

He did have a role to play in Duran’s unbelievable winner though, with his ball finding the Colombian in space to then beat Neuer, to make up for the offside decision going against his side.

Moreover, Torres – as can be seen glancing at the table above – was key in Villa keeping Bayern at bay, with four out of four ground duels won on the night, alongside completing 86% of his passes as an option at the back unafraid to make things happen as well as thwarting Kompany’s men.

Bayern would have entered into this contest high off the confidence of putting nine past Dinamo Zagreb in their last match in Europe’s elite competition, only for the German giants to be humbled by Torres and Co, who was handed out a top 9/10 rating after the game by Townley.

Labelled by Townley as being Torres’ ‘best performance of the season so far’, the Spaniard will hope he can put in more stellar displays when back in Premier League action.

For now, however, Emery’s men will be giddy off the buzz of this result, as the Villa Park masses now crave more top European nights to come.

Villa wanted "monster" star when Grealish left, now he's outshining Rogers

Villa nearly replaced Grealish with dynamic man back in 2021

ByConnor Holden Sep 26, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur are now keen to snap up a rising star in La Liga for Ange Postecoglou, and a move may only be one step away according to a new report.

Tottenham looking for attacking options

Spurs are still on the hunt for attackers to bolster their frontline despite a summer window which saw two arrive. Dominic Solanke became the club’s record signing when he arrived from fellow Premier League side Bournemouth in a deal worth £65m and has hit the ground running at his new club as he looks to fill the shoes vacated by England teammate Harry Kane 12 months ago, form which has seen him recalled to the England set up for the first time in seven years.

Meanwhile, the club also signed winger Wilson Odobert from Burnley, with the French teenager seen very much as one for the future after impressing in the Premier League last season, though injury means that he will have to wait to really begin showing what he can do in north London.

But there are concerns over depth, with Dejan Kulusevski having been moved to a more central area in midfield alongside James Maddison, and Timo Werner only on loan for the 24/25 campaign, though there is an option to buy the German.

There are also question marks over Richarlison, who has failed to impress consistently since his £50m move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from Everton, and Heung Min Son cannot continue to play every game for the Lilywhites. Now, Spurs are looking to freshen up their frontline and have turned to LaLiga in the hope to do so.

Tottenham eyeing Spanish forward

That comes as reports in Spain claim that Postecoglou’s side have joined the race to sign promising Valencia striker Hugo Duro. The 24-year-old has also been in the sights of West Ham United and has scored twice already this season including against league leaders Barcelona.

Related Tottenham scout £26k-p/w "monster" Chelsea target ahead of possible move

He would be another excellent young signing for Postecoglou’s side.

Posts ByBen Browning Oct 6, 2024

He still has four years left to run on his £67,000 a week deal in Spain, but there are reports that he could be available for between €25m and €30m (£20.8m and £25m) in the upcoming transfer windows.

As per reports in Spain, Spurs have joined the race for Duro and they go as far as to suggest that Tottenham “could be one step away” from signing the striker.

Hugo Duro’s career at Valencia

Appearances

116

Goals

27

Assists

10

Yellow cards

12

Minutes per goal/assist

206.1

That comes with Tottenham being the “most interested in securing his services” and Daniel Levy, Postecoglou and co have identified him as someone who can “add dynamism and youth” to their squad. Valencia for their part do not “rule out a possible exit”, though the step that is still required is an offer being made for the striker, which Spurs are still yet to do.

Any move for another striker could likely need to come after a departure, with both Richarlison and Will Lankshear among the options Postecoglou can call on at present. However, with Richarlison failing to convince and Lankshear unexposed, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility.

MatériaMais Notícias

A torcida do Botafogo está animada com a possível chegada de John Textor, possível investidor da SAF, ao clube. Parece que a recíproca é verdadeira: em entrevista ao site oficial do Alvinegro, André Chame, interlocutor responsável por passar informações sobre as negociações, afirmou que o americano ficou encantado com a torcida nas redes sociais.

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+ John Textor adiciona o Botafogo em ‘bio’, curte tweets de torcedores e causa alvoroço nas redes sociais

– Tivemos um primeiro contato por vídeo com o John Textor. Ouvimos um breve resumo de sua história de sucesso nas mais diversas atividades empresariais que participou, especialmente nos setores de tecnologia, cinema, e mais recentemente, no futebol. É um amante do esporte e o considera o um grande catalisador social. Ele se mostrou bastante impressionado com a paixão da nossa torcida, não só em vídeos e imagens obtidas na internet, mas também por conta das interações em redes sociais, e demonstrou interesse em retribuir todo este carinho utilizando as melhores práticas no desempenho das atividades da Botafogo SAF. Mostrou grande admiração pelas nossas cores, pelo nosso escudo, pela Estrela Solitária e pela história do Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas – afirmou Chame.

A transição para que Textor assuma o comando da SAF, contudo, não vai acontecer do dia para a noite. Por se tratar de um processo detalhado, tudo ainda demanda um tempo para acontecer. Chame, contudo, garante: John Textor é o único investidor que negocia com o Alvinegro.

+ Botafogo está perto de contratar dupla ex-Goiás: saiba as contratações, saídas e sondagens do clube

– Com a aceitação das premissas inseridas pelo Botafogo, o acordo não vinculante foi assinado pelo Presidente Durcesio Mello, o que confere exclusividade de 60 dias ao investidor John Textor para negociar com o Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas. No momento, todas as partes envolvidas estão sob compromisso de confidencialidade, o que também é comum em operações desta natureza, de modo que fui honrosamente designado por todos como único interlocutor da negociação. Esperamos a assinatura do contrato vinculante para as próximas semanas e repito que, durante sessenta dias, John Textor é o único investidor com quem o Botafogo mantém negociações abertas – explicou o advogado.

André fez questão de frisar que os próximos 60 dias serão de muitas conversas, negociações e poucas notícias – até por ter um contrato de confidencialidade entre as partes.

– Todos nós sabemos da ansiedade por informações, mas é importante que se entenda que qualquer notícia que não seja bem veiculada ou comunicada pode gerar um desnecessário desgaste entre as partes, e até mesmo pôr em risco a negociação em curso, especialmente no momento em que os mais sensíveis detalhes da operação estão sendo discutidos pelos profissionais dos dois lados. Desta forma, a fim de evitar qualquer notícia que não corresponda à realidade, o BFR, a XP e a equipe do John decidiram que a comunicação com a imprensa e com a nossa gloriosa torcida será feita por apenas uma pessoa. Tive, como já disse, a honra de ser designado para este papel, que espero cumprir com o maior cuidado e transparência possível, respeitando sempre, e acima de tudo, o dever de confidencialidade de todas as partes envolvidas – completou.

Manchester United are among the clubs interested in signing a Champions League winner, according to a new report. The Red Devils got back to winning ways over the weekend as they beat Southampton, and they will be looking to make it two wins in just a couple of days as they face Barnsley in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.

Mainoo dropped, academy duo earn 1st start: Predicted Man Utd XI v Barnsley

Ten Hag rings the changes in the League Cup.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 16, 2024

Man United transfer news

United added five new players to their squad over the course of the summer, but it appears as though their hierarchy is keen to get ahead of the rest when it comes to their next transfer targets.

Since the transfer window has been shut, United have been linked with several players who could be transfer targets for January or the 2025 summer transfer window. The Red Devils are said to be keeping an eye on Martin Baturina of Dinamo Zagreb after watching him during the recent international break. United had scouts in place for Croatia’s games, and they are said to have followed Baturina back to Zagreb.

As well as looking at Baturina, United have also sent scouts to Norway to watch Sverre Nypan in action for Rosenborg. The 17-year-old impressed against the Red Devils in pre-season, and United are said to have kept an eye on the player, with them having someone present on Sunday to watch him in action.

Nypan is said to be a fan of the Premier League side, so that could give them the edge when it comes to a transfer race, as Bayer Leverkusen also had scouts in attendance. Baturina and Nypan are two up-and-coming talents that United appear to be keeping a close eye on, but the Red Devils also have their eye on a more experienced player ahead of the next transfer window.

Man United are keen on “world-class” star

According to The Sun, relayed by the Metro, Manchester United are interested in signing Leon Goretzka of Bayern Munich, but they face competition from West Ham United.

Goretzka is said to be “upset” over his lack of game time at the Bundesliga giants, as he’s fallen down the pecking order under Vincent Kompany. So far this season, the midfielder has played just one minute of competitive football.

United and West Ham have already shown interest in the 29-year-old, but other Premier League teams could make a move for the player should a move away from Munich appear very likely. Goretzka is contracted to the German side until 2026, meaning Bayern may be happy to sell the midfielder in January before he enters the final year of his contract.

Leon Goretzka’s Bayern Munich stats
Apps	222
Goals	40
Assists	46

However, the report states that one stumbling block INEOS face in completing a deal is that Goretzka is said to be on a weekly wage of 346,154 euros, which is roughly £290,000. Goretzka, who has been described as being “world-class” by journalist Stefan Bienkowski, turns 30 in February, so signing him on such a huge salary would go completely against the new INEOS regime’s transfer policies.

“I know when to deliver a message that is serious and when we can be a little more relaxed”

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Sep-2021Usman Khawaja has been named new captain of Sydney Thunder replacing Callum Ferguson who was released at the end of the last season.Khawaja has played his entire BBL career with Thunder and is the club’s leading run scorer with 1718 at 33.68 including two centuries.”It’s a great privilege to be captain of any team, but for me especially being captain of Sydney Thunder probably means a little more,” Khawaja said.”I grew up in Western Sydney, about ten minutes from where the Thunder play at Sydney Showground Stadium, and even though I now live in Queensland I have never forgotten where I come from.”Related

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Khawaja paid tribute to Ferguson, whose departure from the club was controversial, and added that he would not be looking to bring significant changes to how Thunder go about their game.”Cal was awesome as a bloke and team-mate – he will be missed amongst the group here for sure,” he said. “Me being captain, it’s not about reinventing the wheel. Everyone has their own way of captaining a team but having captained various sides for Queensland and Australia A for a few years I think it’s important to be who you are.”I never change who I am just because I am captain. I am usually a bit of a jokester around the team and that doesn’t change as a captain. I know when to deliver a message that is serious and when we can be a little more relaxed.”Khawaja will likely be reunited with Alex Hales at the top of the order after his return was confirmed yesterday. Thunder still have two further overseas spots to fill ahead of the tournament starting on December 5 with their first game the following day against Brisbane Heat.

Birmingham Phoenix jumped right among the Hundred front runners with a thrilling six-wicket victory over Oval Invincibles in a runfest at Edgbaston.A powerhouse innings from Colin Ingram – 81 from 43 balls – lifted the Invincibles to 172 for 3 – the second-highest total in the Hundred.The 36-year-old built on a fast start from Jason Roy (38, 22 balls) and hit eight fours and four sixes, many coming in a third-wicket stand of 72 in 39 balls with captain Sam Billings (24, 17 balls).But the Phoenix reeled in the tall target, reaching 174 for 4 with six balls to spare thanks to Moeen Ali’s 49 off 26 balls, Will Smeed’s 45 from 28 and a dazzling cameo by Chris Benjamin, whose unbeaten 37 from 16 balls tilted a knife-edge contest his side’s way.After choosing to bowl, the Phoenix started well with Adam Milne and Imran Tahir each conceding just a single from their first over. The Invincibles then hit their stride, though, Roy batting with characteristic power, hitting five fours and a six before he was bowled by a slower ball from Benny Howell.Ingram and Billings accelerated in a violent partnership which ended when the latter lifted Pat Brown to long off where Howell took a fine catch. Ingram cleared the ropes in each of the last two overs to provide late impetus and round off a perfectly paced innings from the South African.Finn Allen’s 23 off 13 balls gave the Phoenix reply a fiery start with five fours in eight balls but he fell in strange fashion when he played back to Sunil Narine’s first ball and trod on his wicket.Liam Livingstone heaved one huge six but was denied another when Laurie Evans took a stinging catch on the mid-wicket rope to give Tabraiz Shamsi his first wicket.Sneed stepped it up after a watchful start but skied Saqib Mahmood to extra cover. With such a big target, the pressure on the Phoenix batters was high but Ali responded with a furious attack which included successive sixes off Tom Curran. The skipper was within one run of a half-century when Curran got his revenge, taking a superb catch at deep mid-wicket.That left the Phoenix needing 34 from 25 balls. Benjamin got to grips with the task straight away, trimming the target to ten fom ten and then striking the winning four to continue his fairy-tale rise.

Malan, Hameed chip in with half-centuries as England build gigantic lead

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Aug-20211:38

Harmison: Root’s batting the best I’ve seen by an England batter

Stumps England just made too much ground in that middle session. Joe Root hit his third hundred of the series and sixth of the year. Dawid Malan struck a fifty. England went to tea 220 runs ahead with seven wickets in hand, and though they ended the day eight down, they scored briskly through session three as well, finishing 345 runs in front. India needed a dramatic collapse to force themselves back into the match on day two, and did their best to set one in motion during an attritional first session. But they were eventually foiled by Root in the form of his already exceptional cricketing life.Once Root got going after lunch, India’s strategy of bowling tightly and keeping the runs down – which had been somewhat successful in a morning session in which they removed the overnight batters – was essentially torn apart. It’s not that Root’s innings was necessarily a counterattack – he just went into ODI mode and found ways to score off even good balls, frequently deflecting balls in the arc between point and third man in particular. He was on 27 off his first 25 balls, 41 off 50, and reached triple figures off the 123rd ball he faced.Growing in confidence as he batted in Root’s slipstream, Malan grew in confidence as he hit 70 off 128 balls in his comeback Test innings. The pair’s 139-run partnership was the best of the innings, just pipping Haseeb Hameed and Rory Burns’ opening stand, which was worth 135. Root also shared a 52-run association with Jonny Bairstow, and it is between these three stands that much of England’s batting progress has been made. At stumps, they still had Craig Overton and Ollie Robinson at the crease. Both have been known to contribute handy runs at the county level.India had a tough day, though perhaps the final session, in which they claimed five wickets, took the worst of the edge off. They are so far behind in the match that chances of victory appear remote. There are still three days left in the game, so a draw seems almost as unlikely. Still, the bowlers will be pleased that they can at least dream of wiping England’s last two wickets out early on day three, when for much of Thursday, there was a strong possibility India would be made to bowl for substantial portions of Friday as well.Mohammed Shami was the best of India’s bowlers, nipping one back through the defences of Rory Burns early in the day, before having Bairstow caught at slip, and Jos Buttler out at catching midwicket after tea. Ravindra Jadeja picked up Haseeb Hameed and Moeen Ali. And although he was expensive, Mohammed Siraj took two wickets, while Bumrah claimed one. The severe disappointment in this bowling effort, however, was Ishant Sharma, who struggled for rhythm all day, rarely seemed menacing, and went at 4.18 across his 22 overs. That Kohli bowled him so much was something of a surprise.Joe Root brought up his third century of the series on Thursday•Getty Images

But it was Root who really owned the day. He drove with confidence, particularly through mid-on, and through the covers, deflected no fewer than four boundaries through the third man region, and swept Jadeja against the turn without fuss, all the while picking up singles, running hard enough to squeeze out a second if the shot allows. It was a supremely busy, rather than explosive, innings.He celebrated his 23rd hundred – drawing equal with Kevin Pietersen as the second-best England century-maker – to the adoring roar of his Yorkshire home crowd, and was out – eventually – on 121 off 165 balls, Bumrah getting him to play on. After this innings, Root has 1398 Test runs for the year, which is a monumental 688 runs more than the next-most prolific batter, Rohit Sharma. Incredibly, 875 of those runs have come against India.Malan played England’s next-best innings, scoring 51 of his 70 runs through the offside. He had had a somewhat nervy start, which was perhaps understandable for a batter playing his first Test innings in three years. But once Root got to the crease, and India’s effort dipped following a tight first session, Malan was happier to free his arms, and join Root in his brisk accumulation through the middle session. Together, the batters consolidated the gains made by Hameed and Burns, and ensured that England’s grip on the Test became even tighter.Earlier in the day, India’s bowlers had bowled a largely immaculate line-and-length to concede just 62 runs in the first session. They tied both Burns and Hameed down before dismissing them, and perhaps went to lunch feeling they were on the brink of breaking through the middle order as well. Root was always going to be the big wicket. He is in such form that his ruining of India’s plan seemed effortless.

Chelsea and senior club chief Todd Boehly are plotting to make a £30 million-plus player the club's next "priority" signing in January, according to reports this week.

Chelsea already making transfer plans ahead of January window

The west Londoners spent around £200 million on new signings over the course of the summer transfer window, with no less than 13 players putting pen to paper on moves to Stamford Bridge before the 11pm deadline on August 30.

Free agent once "close to signing" for Chelsea holds new talks to join them

He’s actively attempting to find a new club.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 10, 2024

Joao Felix, Mike Penders, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Renato Veiga, Estevao Willian, Filip Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Aaron Anselmino, Caleb Wiley, Omari Kellyman, Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho all agreed to join Chelsea, and it could've been one more, had it not been for their failed signing of striker Victor Osimhen.

Chelsea were locked in deadline day talks to sign Osimhen from Napoli, alongside Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, but neither side could strike a full last-minute deal for the Nigerian – who later joined Süper Lig champions Galatasaray on loan.

Appearances

25

Goals

15

Assists

3

Shots Per 90

3.86

Key Passes Per 90

1.05

Successful Take-Ons Per 90

0.73

A Chelsea move to sign Osimhen in January is still possible, as his temporary Galatasaray contract includes a break-clause, which would allow interested sides to strike a mid-season agreement.

The forward's new Napoli deal also includes a discounted release clause set at around £63 million, according to reports, so this could be one to watch in future. In the meantime, it is believed Chelsea are already making plans for the winter window.

Indeed, according to reliable Blues journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea are planning to loan out Mykhailo Mudryk in January, and there is a belief that Lecce starlet Patrick Dorgu is firmly on their agenda.

The 19-year-old, who's started all of their Serie A games so far this season, is regarded as one of Denmark's brightest up-and-coming talents. Dorgu made 32 league appearances for Leece last term over a breakout campaign for him, and the left-back's performances haven't gone unnoticed in the Premier League.

Chelsea planning to make Dorgu their "priority" January signing

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are considering whether to make Dorgu their "priority" January signing instead of Osimhen. The teenager is increasingly appreciated by Chelsea and a host of other top-flight sides, and could move for the left-sided starlet who can also play further up field on the wing.

There were reports over the summer that Lecce director Pantaleo Corvino was waiting for an official Chelsea bid to sign Dorgu, so this could be one to watch, though Fabrizio Romano has since claimed he could cost over £30 million to sign now.

"You can just say that with some players it can go incredibly fast," said Denmark Under-21s boss Steffen Højer on Dorgu.

"He has already had a lot of playing minutes in Serie A with Lecce, and he has done really, really well. What is special about him is that he is a quiet and calm guy, but things are just incredibly natural for him on a football pitch."