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Pinpointing a new midfielder to partner Enzo Fernandez at Chelsea is arguably one of Mauricio Pochettino’s biggest challenges, which he simply must get right.

Getting the perfectly curated protector with a tough-tackling ferocity and keen athleticism is a tricky task.

The club has been incessantly linked to Moises Caicedo, however, Brighton are supposedly demanding around £120m for the Ecuadorian’s services.

Nevertheless, a cheaper, more realistic, and attainable alternative has emerged in the form of Aurélien Tchouaméni, whose signing would be a humongous statement of intent from the West Londoners.

What’s the latest on Aurélien Tchouaméni to Chelsea?

According to reports in Spain, the Blues offered €60m (£51m) for the Frenchman which was immediately rejected, and they are planning an improved bid of €80m (£68m), which will give Real Madrid something to think about.

Although far-fetched and extremely ambitious, the 2021 Champions League winners possess a ludicrously excessive budget, which could be shrewdly sprayed upon this ball-winning machine.

Who can Aurélien Tchouaméni emulate at Chelsea?

The 25-cap international joined the 14-time European Champions last summer for €100m (£86m) and made 50 appearances for Los Blancos.

As per FBref, the former Monaco prodigy has been compared to the current talk of the town, Declan Rice, due to their strikingly similar attributes.

Defensively, both these titans are formidable protectors for their backlines, with Tchouaméni averaging slightly better numbers in most departments as he has more tackles per 90 (2.61 vs 2.17), interceptions per 90 (1.98 vs 1.73), clearances per 90 (1.87 vs 1.59), and aerials won per 90 (1.91 vs 1.02), according to FBref.

The £206k-per-week man also outperforms his positional peers in pass completion (92.9% vs 86.5%), but Rice makes more progressive passes.

Tchouaméni’s compatriot Paul Pogba has lauded the sensation for his quality saying: “Very very good. He's not a boy, he's a man.

“It was a pleasure to play next to him. He brings a lot of energy. A lot of energy, and extraordinary technical and physical quality.”

Indeed, that's a review that could well describe Rice too.

The 22-year-old has started every game for his nation at the 2022 World Cup and scored in the 2-1 quarter-final victory over England.

Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol has said that Chelsea’s new ownership has targeted the world’s “best young players” and Tchouaméni certainly fits that bill.

The pivot ranks within the best 8% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for interceptions, pass completion, and clearances per 90.

For the West London outfit to get back to where it belongs, this is exactly the type of scintillating Rice-like signing to reinvigorate the fanbase with a new-found belief that its new setup can take the club forward.

Newcastle United could potentially turn their attention to the Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele as a possible option in this summer's transfer window.

The Toon qualified for the Champions League following their takeover by the Saudi Arabian backed PIF, and Bailey believes the club could make some big moves in the summer market.

Newcastle transfers news – Ousmane Dembele

The transfer journalist told the Chasing Green Arrows podcast that fans should monitor Newcastle’s interest in Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele.

Newcastle have already brought in one new face this summer in the form of Yankuba Minteh but he has been loaned immediately out to Feyenoord.

But Bailey has suggested if the Toon are to look at making a marquee signing this summer, they may turn their attention to the 26-year-old France international.

What has Graeme Baily said about Ousmane Dembele?

“Keep an eye on Ousmane Dembele as a marquee signing, especially for Newcastle.” Bailey told host Dean Jones.

“They [Newcastle] have talked to him. He came over if you remember and met the Sunderland chairman, and he did have contacts with Newcastle at that point. He's only got a year left at Barcelona And he does appeal to PIF as well."

“Eddie Howe talks about marquee signings, I think this left forward could be the marquee signing.”

Would Ousmane Dembele be a good signing for Newcastle?

Dembele signed for Barcelona for a fee of an estimated £115 million in 2017 from Borussia Dortmund but has not hit the heights he was expected to.

In his time at the Nou Camp, – the once hailed "wizard" – Dembele has featured 185 times, scoring 40 goals and providing 43 assists per Transfermarkt. Not a bad output but potentially a little underwhelming considering his price tag and what the club expected his potential to be.

The host of the Chasing Green Arrows Podcast, Dean Jones, believes Dembele could be a great signing for the Toon Army.

“I think it Ousmane Dembele is a good marquee signing, because he's not a Neymar, he's not somebody that you're going to have a pile of problems.” Jones said.

“Injuries might be the biggest problem you get with Ousmane Dembele.”

Injuries would be the biggest red flag for potential pursuers of Dembele. The French international has had a recurring hamstring injury that forced him to miss 17 games of the 22/23 season when he tweaked it at the end of January.

The same hamstring injury was a problem in 2020 when Dembele tweaked it in January which forced him to miss 19 games.

In a season where Newcastle have to contend with European football alongside the league, Dembele is a high risk potential signing but one that they could certainly reap the rewards from if he stays fit.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:43

Compton: India have a slight advantage

Fightback followed fightback during an absorbing final session on the second day in Mohali. India closed within touching distance of a lead after England had revived their prospects on the back of two inspired pieces of fielding which highlighted a stirring post-tea response. India lost 3 for 8 in a frenetic passage and their position worsened when Virat Kohli fell for 62, but R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja prevented an all-out collapse to take India to within 12 of England’s total by the close.India had established a position of strength when Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara added 75 for the third wicket, seemingly putting England’s 283 into context. But, two balls into the final session, Pujara pulled a long hop from Rashid towards deep midwicket where Chris Woakes did remarkably well to make the ground then dive low for the catch. Even better, though, was to follow when Jos Buttler pulled off a stunning stop and shy – from his knees – at backward point to send back debutant Karun Nair.Between those two moments of individual brilliance Ajinkya Rahane had failed to pick a googly from Rashid and Kohli edged Ben Stokes, which led to Stokes intimating silence in his celebration following his ICC fine for his verbals towards Kohli when he was dismissed on the second day. India were 204 for 6 and England had visions of batting before the close with a useful lead, but they were thwarted by Ashwin and Jadeja who picked their moment before the second new ball to take on the spinners.Ashwin, who was not moving comfortably between the wickets, went to his third fifty of the series with his seventh boundary and Jadeja went from 8 off 34 to 31 off 59 as the pair reached stumps with an unbroken stand of 67. England will cling to the fact that they are bowling last on the surface, but it has held together well so far, while India will fancy the vulnerability of England’s batting even if the lead is smaller than they would have wanted.

Hameed finger injury causes concern

Haseeb Hameed will have a scan on a finger injury after the Mohali Test finishes and did not field throughout the second day.
Hameed experienced pain in the little finger of his left hand after taking a number of blows during the series, including his first-innings dismissal in this match.
If he is found to have a significant injury which puts him in doubt for the Mumbai Test, England may need to consider calling up an extra player to the squad from the Lions team currently in Dubai. Nick Gubbins, the Middlesex left hander, or Durham’s Keaton Jennings – who both had prolific Championship seasons – would probably head the queue as like-for-like openers.

England were bowled out within four overs of the resumption this morning and, initially, signs were ominous as the new ball did not swing for James Anderson and Chris Woakes. When M Vijay was dropped at midwicket – Buttler unable to cling on to a flick off Moeen Ali – England needed a pick-me-up and, as so often, it came from Stokes. With his fourth ball he draw Vijay into a flat-footed poke outside off and although the umpire Chris Gaffaney did not raise his finger Vijay walked knowing the replay would confirm the edge.It had been a curious, half-hearted, stay for Vijay who was also involved in an intriguing moment when he defended a delivery back to Anderson, who spotted the batsman had held his pose outside the crease. Anderson shied at the stumps and hit Vijay’s pads, leading to a query for obstructing the field, but it was rightly ruled that Vijay had not moved from his position to block the throw.England thought they had removed Parthiv Patel, caught down the leg side when he had 12, but the DRS showed the ball had only flicked his shirt. In his first Test for eight years, and thrust to the top of the order after KL Rahul’s injury, it was an impressive performance from Parthiv to quickly adjust to the challenge.His dismissal was a very modern lbw. Using his feet to Adil Rashid he was beaten by the turn but, having come down the pitch, the umpire understandably said not out. Jonny Bairstow, though, was convinced of the value of the review and he was vindicated when the ball was shown to be hitting leg stump.And so the Kohli-Pujara double-act was back together. They soaked up the pressure of England’s quicks and the ever-improving Rashid, who bowled consecutive maidens for the first time in his Test career, and began to profit towards the end of the second session when Gareth Batty’s brief, and delayed, entry to the attack proved expensive.There had also been a missed chance – albeit a difficult one – to break the stand when Pujara, on 35, glanced Stokes down the leg side but Bairstow could not hold on, low to his left, with one hand. Pujara went to his fifty from 100 balls to continue a golden run which has included two centuries in this series and, as he and Kohli strode in together at tea, a pivotal final session for England’s series prospects loomed.Sure enough, a momentary misjudgment transformed their prospects. In Vizag, Pujara had reached his century with a six over midwicket – to bring comparisons with Virender Sehwag – but on this occasion he will have wished he had left it to Viru. To be fair, though, the ball was there to whack, but he did not connect cleanly. Woakes’ sprint and dive provided the boost England needed.It also took Rashid’s bowling average below 40 for the first time in his career. It was notable how much faith Alastair Cook put in his legspinner: Batty did not bowl until the 47th over and Moeen bowled only nine overs all day. Partly that will have been because of the right-handers being at the crease, but it was not long ago that even that fact would not have elicited trust from Cook. That faith was rewarded again when Rahane, whose series has not got going, was befuddled by Rashid’s googly.It takes a lot to knock Kohli’s equilibrium at the crease, but a combination of the two quick wickets then Buttler’s reflexes at point led him to sell Nair a dummy came closer than most scenarios. Yet it still needed a brilliant piece of opportunism to throw down the stumps. To Kohli’s credit he refocused and reached a 111-ball fifty as he and Ashwin responded with a counter-attacking stand of 48 in 10 overs.By now, Cook had returned to Stokes and he hung the ball just far enough outside off to tempt Kohli who had profited from the glide to third man. In attempting such a shot, he played away from his body to give England the wicket they craved. As his team-mates hooped and hollered, Stokes silenced himself while Kohli made a swift about-turn.India were in danger of conceding a deficit that was more than just an irritant, but not for the first time the depth of their batting – much like England’s – came to the fore. Ashwin timed the ball beautifully despite having to battle discomfort from what appeared to be a leg problem. Like Stokes for England, a shudder is surely felt whenever Ashwin appears in pain. He and Jadeja have kept India on an even keel at worst: it is unlikely to be their last telling contribution of this match.

Liverpool lead the race to secure a surprise swoop for Fulham full-back Kenny Tete this summer, who could be viewed as an interesting replacement for James Milner, who has departed Anfield upon the expiry of his contract.

What's the latest on Liverpool's pursuit of Kenny Tete?

That's according to recent reports, with the Dutch defender's future at Craven Cottage up in the air after failing to agree a contract extension with Marco Silva's side.

Tete has just one year left on his current deal and could be available for as little as £10.5m, with Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke now in the driving seat despite further intrigue from two anonymous Premier League outfits and one LaLiga side.

The Cottagers made an emphatic return to the top flight this term and cast aside the 'yo-yo' tag as they recorded a tenth-placed finish, with Tete playing a starring role.

Should Liverpool sign Kenny Tete?

With Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson mere weeks away from his 33rd birthday, it is likely that he will be utilised more sparingly next season, maintaining his leadership skills and galvanising the troops, but no longer taking centre stage on the Anfield grass, having started just 23 times in the league.

It could be that the England veteran slowly transitions into the role that Milner played during his twilight phase on Merseyside, a dependable and dynamic utility option.

While primarily a midfielder, the loss of the 37-year-old Milner has left the right-back position depleted, with 12 of the 61-cap former England international's 41 outings for the Reds this term coming in the defensive position.

And while Trent Alexander-Arnold is the undisputed powerhouse in the right-back position at Anfield, Tete's prospective acquisition could pay dividends by bolstering the fold with a perfect alternative.

Hailed as a "great asset" for Fulham by chairman Tony Khan upon signing for the club in 2020, the 27-year-old made 31 appearances in the top-flight this season and scored one goal and supplied five assists, recording a laudable average Sofascore rating of 7.09 and completing 1.7 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game.

As per FBref, the £50k-per-week ace ranks among the top 15% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of assists, the top 9% for rate of tackles, the top 3% for interceptions and the top 6% for blocks per 90.

The "sensational" defender – as dubbed by presenter Jack Collins – would clearly be a marked improvement on the ageing Milner, who recorded an average rating of 6.68 this term and boasted just 0.8 tackles, 0.4 interceptions and 0.4 clearances per game in the Premier League, branded as "no longer the answer" by talkSPORT's Ade Oladipo in the early phases of the campaign.

For such a paltry fee, Tete would be a wonderful addition to the Reds' team, and could etch his name into the considerable list of shrewd acquisitions to have served as pillars for Klopp's dynasty on Merseyside.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keeping tabs on Peterborough United sensation, Ronnie Edwards, having previously been linked with a move for the youngster last summer.

What's the latest on Edwards to Tottenham?

According to Football League World, the Lilywhites – as well as West Ham United – are believed to have been watching the 20-year-old for 'some time', with an exit from London Road said to be potentially on the cards for the promising centre-back following the League One side's failure to secure promotion.

This follows a previous report from the Daily Mail last summer which claimed that the north London outfit and fellow Premier League side, Crystal Palace were set to battle it out for the 5 foot 11 ace, with a fee of around £15m having been mooted.

The Sun also noted in the past that Sir Alex Ferguson had urged his former club Manchester United to make a move for the Harlow-born starlet, with that further indication of just how highly-regarded Edwards is.

Who is Ronnie Edwards?

The £2.7k-per-week defender – who joined his current side from Barnet back in 2020 – is regarded as an "incredible talent", according to manager Darren Ferguson, with the Scotsman also hailing his precocious gem as "easily the best young player I’ve managed".

Also described as a "Rolls Royce" by Peterborough chairman, Barry Fry, the England U20 international has been a leading figure for the lower-league side of late despite his relative youth, having kept 15 clean sheets in 42 league games this season, while also averaging two tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game.

That stellar impact has unsurprisingly sparked interest from Levy and co, with there a potential for young Edwards to be the next EFL star to make the jump up to the Premier League, following in the footsteps of compatriot and fellow defender, John Stones.

In the case of the latter man, the 28-year-old began life lower down the footballing pyramid at hometown club, Barnsley, before being snapped up on a £3m deal by Everton at the age of just 18 in 2013.

That move to Goodison Park quickly proved fruitful as the 6 foot 2 ace went on to make 95 appearances for the Toffees over the next three years, with former boss Roberto Martinez describing him as "potentially the best centre-back that England has ever produced" in 2015.

A £47.5m move to Manchester City soon followed in the summer of 2016, with Stones having gone on to claim five Premier League titles since then under Pep Guardiola, notably being praised for his "magnificent" form this season, according to BT Sport pundit, Rio Ferdinand.

Following his relatively humble beginnings at Oakwell, the 66-cap gem is now a key figure for both club and country, with young Edwards no doubt hoping he can emulate that feat if he is to seal his own top-flight move this summer.

Having seen the success that Stones has achieved at the Etihad of late, Spurs may well be keen to find their own version of the City star with the capture of the emerging Peterborough wonderkid.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPakistan celebrate the key wicket of Jonny Bairstow•Getty Images

Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the series after beating England by 75 runs at Lord’s. That is the simple version but there were multitudes contained within as Misbah-ul-Haq’s irrepressible side took the ten wickets they required for victory on the fourth day, four of them going to the talismanic Yasir Shah on the way to match figures of 10 for 141 in his first Test match outside of Asia.Set 283 to win – a target only one side had previously achieved on the ground – after dismissing Pakistan inside the first ten minutes of the morning session, England’s batsmen struggled to build partnerships. Only when Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes were putting together a stand of 56 over 31.4 gruelling overs did Misbah have to seriously ponder where a wicket was coming from.The breakthrough came from Yasir, although there was little sleight of hand about a long hop that Bairstow simply missed attempting to swat through the leg side. His distraught reaction, head bowed over his bat as the Pakistan players celebrated around him, provided an illustration of England’s disappointment at losing a match in which they were always slightly behind but refused to abandon as beyond their powers of recovery.Yasir’s tenth wicket practically sparked a playground bundle as Woakes was taken at slip trying to hit out with the No. 10, Steven Finn, for company and 79 still required. Mohammad Amir rattled Jake Ball’s stumps an over later to put the final seal on an emotional comeback six years after his previous Test appearance.This was a gripping encounter, fought in excellent spirit and holding the attention of a packed crowd throughout. A sizeable contingent of Pakistan supporters cheered every wicket as their side pushed for a first Test triumph at Lord’s since Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed’s exploits in 1996. When the Pakistan team lined up afterwards to do a series of celebratory push-ups in front of the pavilion – a salute to the military fitness camp undergone by the players before the tour – the whole ground was in raptures.England may have been primed to the threat posed by Yasir and Amir but it was Rahat Ali who gave Pakistan the early advantage. England lost their top three in little more than an hour of batting and although the rejigged middle order that had been considered a weakness resisted admirably there was too much left for them to do against a constantly probing attack.Yet while Bairstow remained in the company of Woakes – a man with nine first-class centuries, not to mention 11 wickets in the match – England could imagine that the improbable was still possible. With the bowling tight and scoring opportunities scarce, the seventh-wicket pair resolved to soak up the pressure and fight for every inch.Nothing seemed to be happening in the middle, yet at the same time, everything was happening. Wahab Riaz threw himself into a five-over spell after tea that yielded 0 for 8 but saw the ball repeatedly swerve late past the outside edge. Both batsmen edged short of catchers in the cordon – Woakes a matter of millimetres in front of Asad Shafiq at third slip – and Wahab ended up lying in the dust as he strained for a breakthrough. He was also warned twice by the umpires for running on the pitch.At the other end, rewards were not as readily forthcoming for Yasir as had been expected after his first-innings six-for. There was turn – as Gary Ballance discovered when a delivery beat his front pad and attempted flick to end his dogged 43 – but the pitch was placid enough for Woakes and Bairstow to survive as long as they eschewed risk. When Yasir won an lbw decision from Joel Wilson against Woakes, the batsman confidently reviewed in the knowledge that his bat had intervened first.England had initially recovered through a 49-run partnership between Ballance and James Vince, who made his best Test score before being dismissed by Wahab, flinging his hands at a drive shortly after lunch. Wahab had begun to make the ball reverse away down the slope and a thick edge flew to Younis Khan at second slip, who this time held on to the catch at the second attempt, having unsuccessfully juggled a much tougher chance with Vince on 9.Ballance, in the second innings of his comeback Test, seemed to grow in confidence, totting up runs with nudges and nurdles. He was vulnerable to Wahab’s probing outside off stump but generally played the ball softly and late, other than when slashing a four over the slips. He and Bairstow added another 39 runs in 13 overs of careful batting when Yasir, having changed to bowling from the Nursery End, struck for the first time.The man identified as Pakistan’s likeliest match-winner had to wait until his 13th over but, for aficionados of legspin, it was undoubtedly worth it. Ballance had just pulled a sharply turning delivery through square leg for his sixth boundary; the next ball was a little fuller, spun a little harder down the slope and darted like a swallow past Ballance’s attempted flick to hit leg stump. If the shot was questionable, the overall effect was reminiscent Shane Warne’s dismissal of Andrew Strauss at Edgbaston in 2005.Moeen Ali did not last long, waltzing out of his ground and aiming a heave across the line at Yasir, only for the ball to spin between bat and pad to hit the top of middle. At 139 for 6, England were still less than halfway to their target; Pakistan were more than halfway to theirs.After the third day’s play, Pakistan’s coach Mickey Arthur was hoping his side could “sneak another 19-20” more runs. They managed just a single from Amir as England took the last two wickets in 13 balls, though that was enough to push the requirement up above the 282 achieved by Michael Vaughan’s side against New Zealand in 2004. Stuart Broad picked up both, Yasir and Amir caught behind, to become the third England bowler to pass 350 Test wickets.Adrenaline coursed through initial stages of England’s assault. Cook chopped the opening delivery for four through point as England raced to 19 for 0 from three overs before hitting their first speed bump: Rahat found his line and the tiniest contact with Cook’s outside edge, a kiss goodbye for the England captain who turned away ruefully as Kumar Dharmasena’s finger went up.Rahat bagged and tagged the next two as well. Alex Hales attempted to force a cut, a thick top edge flying quickly to be well held by Mohammad Hafeez at first slip; then a misbegotten pull from Joe Root sent a top edge out to the grateful Yasir, jogging to his right to take the catch some 20 yards in from the boundary at deep square leg. It was just one of a multitude of joyous individual and collective moments for Pakistan on a ground where they experienced such pain when the spot-fixing scandal erupted six years ago. They have fresh memories now.

Andy Balbirnie, the Ireland batsman, has been released by his county Middlesex after he was ruled out of the 2016 season

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jun-2016

Andy Balbirnie, the Ireland batsman, has been released by his county Middlesex after he was ruled out of the 2016 season. Balbirnie underwent hip surgery in April and a lengthy recuperation period meant that he would not be able to take part for Middlesex this season, at the end of which his contract was due to expire.”It’s always extremely sad to release a young cricketer, especially when they are as likeable and as committed to the game as Andrew,” said Angus Fraser, Middlesex’s managing director. “He is expected to make a full recovery from his operation, is a very good cricketer, and everyone at the club wishes him well for the future.”Balbirnie, who is a graduate of the club’s academy, played two first-class, three List A and seven T20 games for Middlesex. He has been a regular in Ireland’s squads, including at the recent World T20.”I would like to thank everyone involved in Middlesex County Cricket Club over the last five seasons who have helped me develop not just on the field but off it too,” Balbirnie said. “It’s been a huge honour to represent this great club and one that has been thoroughly enjoyable. I wish the squad and the staff the very best for the remainder of the season.”

Tottenham Hotspur are in for a summer of change.

Not only is chairman Daniel Levy on the hunt for the 12th permanent manager of his reign but the playing squad is in drastic need of a shake-up, with several underperforming stars still turning up to Hotspur Way every day.

It's thought that Julian Nagelsmann is among the leading candidates to take the helm – according to the Telegraph, the 35-year-old currently sits atop a shortlist but there are concerns over the financial implications due to his contract with Bayern Munich, who only sacked him last month.

The Athletic's David Ornstein has also provided some hope on the matter, claiming that talks between Spurs and the German are underway, as revealed to Rio Ferdinand's YouTube channel this week.

Who could Tottenham sign under Julian Nagelsmann?

If appointed, it will be interesting to see what the young, innovative coach does with this weak squad, particularly in defence. During his time at RB Leipzig, the 35-year-old often deployed a back-three, with a lot of their attack coming from the wide areas through the use of wing-backs – sound familiar?

The only difference is, it's a lot more exciting than what Antonio Conte offered during his tenure in north London.

However, the club will need better defenders to pull it off and reports last month linked the Lilywhites with a move for Crystal Palace sensation Marc Guehi, and he'd surely be a prime target to thrive under the stewardship of Nagelsmann.

Take Dayot Upamecano, for example.

No player has featured more for the former Hoffenheim boss than the French centre-back. Indeed, the 24-year-old racked up 151 appearances for Nagelsmann across both his spells at RB Leipzig and Bayern, proving to be a very trusted lieutenant in defence.

The Eagles have endured a rough season in the Premier League but Guehi has been one of the few shining lights, featuring for more minutes than any other player, via WhoScored. It's thought that Spurs are leading the race to sign the 22-year-old, with Palace set to demand in the region of £60m.

Once lauded as an "absolute tank" by former England U21 teammate Josef Bursik, Guehi is also attracting interest from both Manchester clubs, which in itself should display the sort of quality on potential on offer.

Comfortable in and out of possession, having averaged a squad-leading passing accuracy of 85.4% as well as 1.3 interceptions per game, the England colossus is the ideal profile for what Nagelsmann would expect from his central defenders – big, powerful yet adept at building play out from the back.

Upamecano ranks third in the Bayern squad for passing success and fourth for interceptions per game, via WhoScored, and is a similar height to Guehi, both measuring around the 6 foot 1 mark.

Should the German walk through the door ahead of next season, then Levy ought to make it a priority to bring Guehi to north London, given the evidence above, it's a partnership that could put the club back in the right direction.

Chelsea target Giorgi Mamardashvili is keen to leave Valencia this summer amid interest from the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Mamardashvili to Chelsea?

Todd Boehly is reportedly set to enter the market to find a new man between the sticks, with both Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga facing uncertain futures in SW6.

The Georgia international isn’t usually first-choice at the Mestalla Stadium, but has been trusted by his manager Voro to take the lead this season, and has caught the eye of several potential suitors across Europe throughout his 28 La Liga starts.

Spanish outlet COPE reported last week that the 22-year-old’s agents had travelled to the capital to hold discussions with the board ahead of the summer, and they have since been handed a boost after learning that he wants to be on the move at the end of the season.

According to 90min, Chelsea did indeed hold “talks” with Mamardashvili’s representatives – but they also did the same with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Leicester City, and it’s claimed that the Foxes hold the “strongest interest” out of the name-checked clubs.

Atletico Madrid, Monaco and AC Milan are also keen on a deal for the shot-stopper, but whether anything will come to fruition remains to be seen.

The Blues’ target, however, is “keen to leave” Valencia during the upcoming window, and despite him having a €100m (£87m) release clause, it’s stated that they would be happy to sanction his sale for a cut-price of just £30m.

Should Chelsea splash the cash on Mamardashvili?

Mamardashvili has been hailed a “sensational” goalkeeper by members of the media, and standing at a staggering 6 foot 6, we think Chelsea should definitely empty their pockets to secure his services in the summer.

The Free Football client has kept 16 clean sheets in 53 Valencia appearances, including seven in 32 outings across all competitions this season, as per Transfermarkt.

The Tbilisi native has also made a total of 81 saves from 113 shots on target, giving him a save percentage of 71.7%, showing that capable of getting behind the ball and potentially coming out to stop attacks (FBref).

Mamardashvili also has a 100% success rate for short passes having completed 127/127 this season, whilst recording a 97.8% rate for medium passes, completing 271 of 277 – displaying that he likes to vary how he distributed the ball, arguably making this deal even more of a no-brainer to complete.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly appears to be wasting no time in his search for a new manager at the club following the recent sacking of Graham Potter, with Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim on his list.

What’s the latest Chelsea manager news?

According to Fabrizio Romano, Amorim is “also appreciated” by the club and could be a contender for the vacant managerial position amid interest in Julian Nagelsmann.

Boehly may find he has competition from Tottenham Hotspur for the Portuguese manager, as they have also been linked with him since sacking Antonio Conte last month.

The 38-year-old has a contract at Sporting until 2026 and could cost the Blues a big compensation figure should they wish to prise him away from Portugal.

Could Ruben Amorim take over at Chelsea?

Although the likes of Nagelsmann and Zinedine Zidane have been linked with the Chelsea manager's job, Amorim would perhaps be a surprise candidate. However, his credentials may work in his favour and he could be an upgrade on Potter.

He has been in charge of Sporting since 2020, having previously had spells at SC Braga – where he won a Portuguese League Cup during his 13-game stint – and with Casa Pia.

Across 149 matches during his tenure as Sporting coach, Amorim has won 2.21 points per match, which is higher than Potter’s spell at Brighton (1.28) and Ostersund (1.71) in clubs where he has managed over 100 matches.

The 38-year-old has also won five major honours in his managerial career, suggesting he is perhaps best placed to lead Chelsea to success compared to just the one Swedish Cup for the Englishman.

Amorim led Sporting to a sensational title triumph in the 2020/2021 season, ending a 19-year title drought as they lost just once all campaign – when the title was already wrapped up – and conceded just 20 goals, propelling the manager into cult hero status.

This success led Daily Telegraph journalist Matt Law to label him as “highly rated” following their victory over Spurs in the Champions League last year, while the Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke went as far as to describe the tactician as "the most exciting young manager in European football."

Chelsea have had mixed success with Portuguese coaches over the years, with Jose Mourinho leading them to glory and Andre Villas-Boas enjoying a rather underwhelming few months in charge.

Yet, if the club were to delve back into that market again, this would surely have all the hallmarks of another Mourinho, rather than his discipline in Villas-Boas.

It could be an unorthodox choice given the two heavyweights previously linked, yet his youthful exuberance in the dugout and fresh tactical ideas would be incredibly exciting for those at Stamford Bridge.