Chelsea are weighing up the possibility of an early January move for one ‘magnificent’ forward with an agreement already in place for his arrival next year.

Liam Delap succumbs to another Chelsea injury blow

Liam Delap’s Chelsea career has descended into frustrating misfortune following another significant injury setback.

The 22-year-old suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder during Saturday’s goalless draw at Bournemouth, leaving the field in obvious discomfort after landing awkwardly following a challenge with Marcos Senesi.

Medical staff immediately applied a makeshift sling before Delap trudged directly towards the tunnel, his arm immobilised to prevent further damage.

Enzo Maresca then delivered a concerning post-match update that confirmed initial fears.

Reports suggest Delap faces approximately six to eight weeks sidelined, which comes as another devastating blow for the young forward after he was previously out of action for weeks with a hamstring injury.

Chelsea signed Delap from relegated Ipswich in June, beating the likes of Man United and Newcastle to his signature after an impressive maiden Premier League season.

The Winchester-born striker finished as Ipswich’s leading scorer with twelve goals across thirty-seven appearances last term, accounting for thirty-three percent of their total output despite their eventual drop to the Championship.

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Delap also earned a PFA Young Player of the Year nomination and convinced Maresca – who previously managed Delap during his tenure overseeing Man City’s Elite Development Squad – that he represented an ideal target man.

However, the Englishman has since struggled to establish himself at Stamford Bridge, managing just sporadic appearances whilst failing to register a single Premier League goal for his new employers.

His only Chelsea strike this season arrived against Barcelona in the Champions League, providing brief optimism before this latest injury.

Marc Guiu replaced Delap against Bournemouth but was rusty throughout, highlighting Chelsea’s lack of alternative options, and it has led to suggestions that Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha could arrive earlier than anticipated.

Chelsea weigh early January move for Emanuel Emegha

According to TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea chiefs are evaluating whether to bring forward Emegha’s arrival from their sister club following Delap’s injury blow.

The Blues confirmed a deal worth around £22 million several months ago, that was scheduled to deliver Emegha to Stamford Bridge in the summer.

However, Delap’s absence has prompted internal discussions about accelerating that timeline to January.

Strasbourg initially resisted any mid-season departure for their captain, but circumstances have shifted considerably.

Argentine forward Joaquin Panichelli has emerged as Liam Rosenior’s first-choice striker, demonstrating excellent form which suggests the Ligue 1 side could accommodate Emegha’s premature exit.

The 22-year-old Netherlands international stands at a towering 6 foot 5 and recently earned his maiden senior caps for his country, establishing himself as one of France’s most promising attacking talents.

Should Chelsea trigger the January switch, they would also likely compensate Strasbourg by funding an immediate replacement through BlueCo’s multi-club network.

Emegha, who’s been called ‘magnificent’ by critics, scored 14 French top flight goals last season and ended the campaign as one of Ligue 1’s top scorers.

He’s also bagged seven goals across 11 appearances in all competitions this season, so he’s a man bang on form right now regardless of Panichelli’s rise.

It is not controversial to say that Tottenham Hotspur have struggled in the Premier League this season, though, adopting a glass-half-full mentality, it could also be suggested that Thomas Frank’s project, in its infancy, has the potential to be a success.

However, we need to see a more synergised frontline and a sharper overall build-up strategy. Spurs have struggled for stable home form and fluency in their creativity this season, and that has formed the crux of their struggles.

Many players have flattered to deceive, but Johnson’s poor performances have perhaps gone somewhat under the radar as Frank continues to hand the Wales international a second-string role.

Brennan Johnson's struggles at Spurs

In keeping with the wider narrative at Tottenham, Johnson has ebbed and flowed since joining the club from Nottingham Forest for around £47.5m in 2023. However, he will be desperate for an uptick in form after a tough start to the Frank era, peripheral after scoring 17 goals across all competitions last year.

Johnson may have an eye for goal, but Frank clearly doesn’t fancy him as a regular starting option for the Lilywhites at the moment, with the Welshman only starting three of the past 11 fixtures in the Premier League.

Despite scoring in both of Tottenham’s opening league outings, he has offered very little in regard to ball-carrying and creative metrics, clinical when afforded space in the danger area but offering very little else for an outfit desperate for more dynamism.

See below for how Johnson’s data from the top-flight terms matches up against the form of Mohamed Kudus, and you’ll get a sense of why Frank is loath to give him a starting berth.

Matches (starts)

13 (13)

13 (6)

Goals

2

2

Assists

5

0

Touches*

52.4

17.8

Shots (on target)*

1.5 (0.5)

0.4 (0.2)

Accurate passes*

20.9 (87%)

6.7 (70%)

Chances created*

1.6

0.4

Succ. dribbles*

3.1

0.2

Ball recoveries*

5.1

0.9

Tackles + interceptions*

1.9

1.1

Duels won*

6.5

1.8

This isn’t good enough. Johnson has the physicality and electric nature to provide much more. After all, he has been hailed by content creator HLTCO in the past for his “frightening” pace and directness down the flank, right or left.

But time is surely running out for him to nail down a regular starting berth. He’s unlikely to displace Kudus, and while most Lilywhites have left something to be desired this season, there’s a lot of quality there.

And there’s more still to come, with an out-on-loan star sure to be eyeing a place above Johnson in the north London pecking order next season.

The Spurs star who could replace Johnson

Analyst Ben Mattinson has described Mikey Moore as a prospect with “superstar potential”, having taken his first steps in Tottenham’s first team last season, scoring his first senior goal in the Europa League and racking up two assists besides across 19 matches in all competitions.

Moore is currently sidelined with a muscular injury, approaching one month since last playing in the Scottish Premiership, and though he struggled to impose himself throughout the early weeks of the campaign, Rangers’ abject form made it difficult for the youngster to hit the ground running.

His natural potency in the final third and underlying athleticism suggest that he might be the perfect Johnson heir, especially since he is comfortable playing across both flanks.

Spurs writer James Harris has even said that he could “bring back the old Aaron Lennon” to north London, so dangerous and dynamic when running with the ball.

Lennon racked up 364 appearances as a right winger for Tottenham, and pace and potency were staples of his game. Like Moore, he was an incredibly direct winger; though he offered far more from a creative standpoint than, say, Johnson, there’s a sense that Moore might share the retired England star’s protean threat.

Though it hasn’t been plain sailing for Moore in the highlands this season, it’s probably fair to say that the experience has toughened him up some, and that could prove instrumental in nailing down a starting spot down the line at Tottenham.

Already, he is showing that he has more in his locker than Johnson, a wider and more threatening array of skills.

Expect big things from this kid in the future, even if that comes at Johnson’s expense, it will help elevate Frank’s project.

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Manchester United could break their transfer record to sign an “amazing” midfielder, who has now emerged as one of their top targets.

Man Utd looking to sign new midfielder who could replace Casemiro

Casemiro has emerged as one of Man United’s most consistent performers this season, making 12 appearances in the Premier League, during which time he’s picked up three goals and one assist, and the Brazilian put in another eye-catching performance against Crystal Palace.

The former Real Madrid man made three interceptions and three tackles, the highest combined total of any player, as the Red Devils fought back to secure a 2-1 win at Selhurst Park, after a concerning opening 45 minutes.

Indeed, Palace went into the break a goal to the good, and it was much-deserved, having recorded an xG of 1.59, compared to 0.92 from the visitors, with Jean-Phillippe Mateta opening the scoring from the spot.

Mateta won the penalty after being played through by Adam Wharton, with the Englishman giving Casemiro the run-around in the first half.

With the Brazil international’s contract set to expire next summer, Man United are now searching for a new midfielder, and they could break their club-record transfer fee by signing Wharton, who has now been identified as a top target alongside Elliot Anderson.

That is according to a report from Manchester World, which states United view strengthening their midfield options as a priority, and INEOS are aware it will take a huge fee to sign an elite option, with Crystal Palace set to hold out for over £100m, which would smash the £89m spent on Paul Pogba.

The need to sign a new midfielder could also be exacerbated by Bruno Fernandes deciding he wants to leave next summer, while Kobbie Mainoo is now unhappy at Old Trafford due to a lack of game time.

Wharton could be "amazing" signing for Man Utd

Lauded as “amazing” by journalist Raj Chohan, the Palace maestro has put in some top performances in the Premier League as of late, impressing against United and picking up an assist in his side’s 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the previous match.

The 21-year-old ranks in the 82nd percentile for assists per 90 over the past year, having averaged 0.17, while Gareth Southgate has praised his composure, saying: “He played as he’s trained, he receives well, he’s very composed, he plays forward.

“That sounds simple but it’s not a simple thing to do. He plays a lot of one-touch football, he sees a picture when the ball arrives to him.”

Wharton clearly has what it takes to reach the very highest level, so it is exciting news that Man United could break their transfer record to get a deal done.

Arsenal are well-stocked all over the pitch and boast one of the finest squad depths in England, yet they continue to be linked with high-profile transfers ahead of January.

Arsenal overcome Brentford to go five points clear

On the pitch, Mikel Arteta’s side maintained their commanding lead at the Premier League summit with a professional 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

The victory extended their unbeaten streak to an incredible 18 matches across all competitions, with Arteta seriously rotating his squad following a recent demanding triple-header against Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and Eberechi Eze were all rested from the starting lineup, but the Gunners’ strength in depth showed with Ben White and Noni Madueke combining brilliantly down the right throughout.

The opener arrived early on when White delivered an inviting cross that found Mikel Merino, who powered a header past Caoimhin Kelleher for his fifth goal of the campaign.

The Spaniard, who Arteta never expected to be the proficient going forward, has now netted 21 times in 2025 for club and country, showcasing his remarkable goalscoring form.

Arsenal suffered a blow before the interval when Cristhian Mosquera limped off with an ankle injury, compounding their defensive concerns with both Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba already sidelined. Timber then replaced the injured defender as Arteta juggled his limited centre-back options.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews introduced Igor Thiago, Mikkel Damsgaard and Jordan Henderson from the bench after an hour, while Arteta countered by bringing on Saka and Eze.

Arsenal controlled proceedings but missed several opportunities to seal the contest earlier.

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To add further injury worry after Mosquera, Arsenal’s arguable player of the season, Declan Rice, departed late with a calf problem, with Arteta now sweating over his fitness ahead of a hectic Christmas schedule and the clash with Aston Villa.

Saka finally made the points safe in stoppage time, latching onto Merino’s perfectly weighted pass before finishing past Kelleher despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to the effort.

Given Arsenal’s injury curse which has plagued them since last season, sporting director Andrea Berta will be attentive to any unmissable transfer market opportunities.

Enter Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who is reportedly up for sale this winter after playing a bit-part role under Xabi Alonso.

Rodrygo expresses wish to join Arsenal as agents open talks

Arsenal have already been linked with a move for the Brazil international heading into January, following exploratory talks over a deal last summer.

The 24-year-old has managed just three La Liga starts this term, making the vast majority of his appearances off the bench, with Rodrygo believed to be in the process of finding a new club.

That is according to TEAMtalk and reporter Graeme Bailey, who also state that Rodrygo has ‘expressed a wish’ to join Arsenal among four other Premier League sides he’s also interested in.

Crucially, though, the ex-Santos star’s agents have apparently reopened talks with Arteta’s side, who also ‘pushed hardest’ to sign him in the summer window.

However, Arsenal will need a minimum £70 million to strike a deal, with a loan appearing unlikely as things stand.

Berta and co, meanwhile, are believed to be monitoring his situation closely, which isn’t hard to see why given their bad luck with injuries, not to mention the uncertainty surrounding Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.

The latter wingers are both out of contract in under two years, and with no sign of an extension for either, Arsenal need to think about long-term succession planning.

Rodrygo’s £282,000-per-week salary would put him in line with Arsenal’s highest earners, so it is an expensive transfer to pull off beyond just his club fee.

That being said, Rodrygo is also a player of proven quality, having racked up 68 goals and 53 assists in under 300 appearances for Los Blancos.

Saudi Pro League chief executive Omar Mugharbel has confirmed that Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah has emerged as a transfer target amid uncertainty over his future at Anfield. Salah has sparked speculation about a potential winter move away from Anfield by giving an explosive interview in which he was critical of the club and manager Arne Slot after being benched for the third game in a row.

• Salah facing uncertain future at Liverpool

  Salah made his unhappiness at Liverpool crystal clear when he spoke to reporters after being benched yet again for the trip to Leeds last time out in the Premier League. The club legend told reporters he felt he had been "thrown under the bus" by Liverpool and that he has been left "very, very disappointed" at being repeatedly overlooked by Slot. Salah's comments have drawn criticism from former defender Jamie Carragher, while manager Slot has admitted he does not know if the Egypt international will play for the club again. The Dutchman left Salah out of Liverpool's next game against Inter in the Champions League and there's no guarantee he will feature on Saturday against Brighton in the Premier League. Saturday's fixture represents Salah's last before he joins up with Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations squad for the 2026 tournament in Morocco.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Saudi Pro League chief reacts to Salah talk

  The saga has already fuelled speculation that Salah could depart Merseyside and make a lucrative move to the Middle East. Mugharbel has reacted to such talk at the World Football Summit in Riyadh and admitted the Liverpool forward could be heading for Saudi Arabia. He said: "Mohamed Salah is welcome in the Saudi League, but it is the clubs that are responsible for negotiating with players. For sure Salah is one of them [a target]."

• 'Absolutely convinced' – Huge Salah claim made

  Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad have already emerged as possible destinations for Salah, according to , with a source telling the newspaper they are confident the Egypt star can be tempted away from the Premier League. “We are absolutely convinced that Mo Salah will come to Saudi. No doubts about it. We don’t know if it will be January, in the next market, or next summer,” a senior figure said.

  Superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane and N'Golo Kante have already been lured to the Saudi Pro League, and the hope is that Salah could be the next big name to make the switch.

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• Van Dijk shares update on Salah

  Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was quizzed on Salah's future after the team's Champions League win over Inter but admits he does not know what will happen next. He told Sky Sports: "We all know what’s going on, but I think the outside world makes it what it is, bigger than ever. We just have to deal with the fact that we had a big game tonight, that everyone had to be ready for, and we have another big game at the weekend. Whatever happens, we’ll see. Nothing more, nothing less.

  "Of course I spoke to him. [What I said is] none of anyone’s business. Of course. I’ve been with Mo for such a long time. He’s been a big part of my success that I’ve had at the club. He’s a big part of the club’s success, I’m a big part of his success. We’ve all been doing it together at Liverpool. The reality is that he’s going away on the weekend. Hopefully he has an amazing Africa Cup of Nations. In the meantime. I have no idea what will happen. [I hope he returns to play for Liverpool] 100%. But I’m not a decision-maker here. It’s a decision between the club and Mo. Whatever happens, we are friends. We’ve been through highs and lows. Let’s see. Let’s see what it brings."

South Africa have rested a number of big names with a full India tour looming, while Pakistan’s T20I blueprint remains murky

Danyal Rasool27-Oct-2025This series sees the return of a star player whose presence in the top order of any T20 squad strengthens it. It also sees the return of Babar Azam.As Pakistan and South Africa go into the home stretch ahead of next spring’s T20 World Cup, it is the presence, once more, of Quinton de Kock, back from ODI retirement and T20I exile, and Babar, back after being dropped from the shortest format, that holds the greatest point of intrigue for both sides.Related

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De Kock never officially walked away from T20I cricket, but he hadn’t played for South Africa since their loss in last year’s T20 World Cup final, until his return against Namibia earlier this month. Having recommitted to both white-ball international formats, he strengthens a South Africa side that has kept much of its powder dry for this T20I series, resting a number of their premier batters.Babar’s return for Pakistan is somewhat more complicated; less T20 megastar strolling back into the side, more polarising figure returning to plug a vacancy that other candidates have failed to adequately fill. He is yet to play any T20 cricket since the end of the PSL in May, around the time his omission from Pakistan’s shortest-form squad began. At the time, coach Mike Hesson had said he needed to work on some aspects of his game and suggested the BBL as a pathway back into the team. Recently, though, some goalposts appear to have been shifted, with Babar, almost by default, finding his way back in without playing any competitive cricket to suggest those issues have been fixed.Pakistan have prioritised the return of their traditional core back into the T20I fold, with Shaheen Shah Afridi retaining his place and Naseem Shah also making his way back in. There is a surprising level of squad turnover from what was viewed as a largely successful Asia Cup campaign, in which Pakistan came to within one over of walking away with the title. Four of the men who started that final are out of the squad altogether; Sufiyan Muqeem and Hasan Ali, who travelled with that team, have also been discarded.There is an inherent danger with assuming any squad Pakistan select is indicative of what they are trying to do, what they might do next, or what they might do in the next big tournament they are building towards. Under Hesson, Pakistan have claimed to aspire towards a more progressive approach to T20 cricket. It is, perhaps, what has led to the recall of Abdul Samad as well as the belligerent but so far rarely effective Usman Khan. Hasan Nawaz keeps his place in the squad despite being overlooked for the business end of the Asia Cup for the more circumspect Hussain Talat, who drops out altogether.Babar Azam hasn’t played any T20 cricket since the PSL in May•AFP/Getty ImagesAt the same time, with Babar’s return, and under the captaincy of Salman Ali Agha, it remains to be seen how precisely Pakistan wish to build a T20 innings. In the Asia Cup they suffered on one Sunday by anchoring too much against India, and the following Sunday by ineffective attacking that got them bundled out on the cheap. There may be deeper reasons behind Haris Rauf’s omission, though it is hard not to suspect the bulk of the weight of that decision was borne by one poor death-overs spell in the Asia Cup final.For South Africa, this feels more like a straight bilateral series than a build-up towards a global tournament given the names missing from the squad. Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs were rested while David Miller withdrew with injury. Donovan Ferreira, who has played nine intermittent T20Is, has been handed the captaincy, while, with an all-format India tour looming, Keshav Maharaj has also been rested.The bowling attack features a mix of the inexperienced and the second-string. Gerald Coetzee’s injury means Lungi Ngidi is the only senior established fast bowler in the squad. Corbin Bosch and Nandre Burger bring pace, and George Linde brings experience. Ottneil Baartman, Lizaad Williams and Andile Simelane are the other seam options, while the budding legspinner Nqabayomzi Peter gets a chance for more game time.South Africa know what it’s like to play against Pakistan with a line-up that is decidedly not first-string. They have had to cope with it in just about every bilateral series between the sides over the past half-decade, either because of squad management or commitments elsewhere. Their depth of talent, combined with Pakistan’s tendency to play up or down to the strengths of the opposition, has generally guaranteed competitive cricket, and that is unlikely to change.Despite this series being treated as build-up towards the T20 World Cup, there is too much cricket to be played, and too many opportunities for teams to be further tweaked, for the upcoming three games to feel like they have much resonance for that tournament. But if two flawed and incomplete sides vying for a bilateral trophy is your thing, the next few days should be an entertaining if consequence-free watch.