When Davide Zappacosta arrived at Chelsea during the summer, he was billed by many as a favourite of manager Antonio Conte, having issued the Italy international his first call-up to the Azzurri squad back in May 2016.
But the summer signing has struggled during his early outings for the Blues, barring an inadvertent wonder-goal on his debut, and was far from convincing against Roma in midweek when he stepped in at right wing-back for the injured Victor Moses.
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With that in mind, we asked Chelsea fans earlier this week who they’d prefer to see start on the right of Conte’s 3-4-3 formation when the Blues host Watford in the Premier League this Saturday.
The Hornets aren’t one of division’s traditional big hitters but have started the season well under Marco Silva. In fact, they’re currently above the Blues in Premier League table after beating Arsenal last weekend.
And according to our poll, just 27% of Chelsea fans want Zappacosta to start at right wing-back this afternoon, with Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger claiming 73% of the vote between them.
That’s quite an indictment considering Rudiger is more a centre-back than a wing-back, while Azpilicueta has been a crucial member of Chelsea’s three-man backline since the start of last season.
How do you think Chelsea should line up vs Watford? Let us know by commenting below…
Manchester United are interested in signing Valencia midfielder Carlos Soler, according to The Independent.
What’s the story?
United manager Jose Mourinho is believed to be keen on bringing in a winger after missing out on signing Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic in the summer.
The Independent claims that 20-year-old Soler is on the Portuguese coach’s list, and even though he is still young, the Red Devils will be expected to pay in the region of £40m.
Andreas Pereira, who is currently on loan at the Spanish outfit, could reportedly be included in a player-plus-cash deal.
With the futures of certain players, including Marouane Fellaini, in doubt, Soler is likely to be added to the first-team squad.
How good is he?
A player at his age is usually pushing for first-team minutes rather than featuring regularly in a competitive side.
So far this season, Soler has made 11 La Liga appearances and has found the back of the net on one occasion.
The youngster, who can also play centrally in midfield, has created four assists in Spain’s top flight.
United have dropped eight points behind rivals Manchester City in the table, and even though they remain well positioned to challenge for the title, injuries have hampered them.
If Soler was to move to Old Trafford, his potential could be huge, but he may take time to settle and adapt to English football.
Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has not played for the club since October last year due to a strong of injury problems.
What began as an innocuous Achilles problem turned into a handful of treatments and operations.
Following surgery, the 32-year-old contracted gangrene in his right ankle and ended up requiring a skin graft due to the infection damaging his tendon further.
The midfielder had skin removed from his arm to cover the eight centimetres that was ripped away by the infection.
Initially, it was suggested that Cazorla would return to the pitch in the New Year, but now he has revealed on social media that he has suffered a fresh setback.
The Spaniard confirmed that he underwent another operation – his ninth in total – after feeling pain in his tendon.
“As a result of some discomfort in the tendon that I had been suffering in recent days, I have had to go into theatre again. I have to put back the date for my return. I still have the motivation and the hope of being able to return to enjoy my great passion, football.”
As expected, Arsenal fans have turned out in their droves on social media to send Cazorla their well-wishes during a difficult time on the treatment table.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, West Ham United are considering making a move for out of favour Paris Saint-Germain forward Hatem Ben Arfa, but they could face competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Leicester City.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Daily Mail says the 30-year-old will be allowed to leave the Parc des Princes either on loan or on a free transfer following a dispute with the Ligue 1 giants, and West Ham and Leicester are among the club considering signing the former Newcastle United man.
While the Daily Mail says the Foxes may need a replacement for the want-away Islam Slimani in the New Year, Irons boss David Moyes may consider strengthening his frontline with the east London outfit scoring just 12 goals in their 14 Premier League matches so far this term.
How has Ben Arfa done with PSG?
Despite being something of a regular last season with four goals and seven assists in 32 appearances in all competitions for the French outfit, the signings of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe have pushed the 30-year-old down the pecking order and he is yet to play a single minute this term.
The dispute between him and the club came after he believed it was against LFP regulations for him to be demoted to train with the youth team rather than the first team earlier in the season.
Why would he be a good signing for West Ham?
The Irons have never replaced the quality and unpredictability that Dimitri Payet brought previously, and while Ben Arfa may not be in the same league as his fellow Frenchman he does have the skill and ability to do something out of nothing that can be so vital to a struggling team.
18 goals and a further six assists in 37 appearances in the 2015/16 campaign with Nice show what the attacker is capable of, and he is also able to play in a range of attacking positions.
And why wouldn’t he?
There have always been worries about the 30-year-old’s mentality and he would also be seen as something of a luxury player.
Considering West Ham are right in a relegation battle following their 4-0 defeat to Everton on Wednesday – and the fact that they have Marko Arnautovic in their ranks – it probably wouldn’t be wise to sign Ben Arfa.
It was a game in which Manchester United rode their luck at times, but it was also a game which sets next weekend’s derby up perfectly. It kept United in the title race.
Perhaps the biggest criticism of Jose Mourinho’s side this season is that they haven’t looked to attack their opposition when playing in games against top six rivals, especially away from home. And one look at every stat apart from the scoreline might look similar: Arsenal had 33 shots to United’s eight, whilst the Gunners had over 75% of the possession.
And yet, United earned the right to defend in numbers once they took a 2-0 lead after only 11 minutes. It was the sensible thing to do.
But what made it all the more impactful was the fact that when the Red Devils did get the chance to break, they did it with directness and devastation. Jesse Lingard’s stats show exactly what the gameplan was.
Despite not being one of the sexier names in the Manchester United team, Lingard is fairly reliable and often gets the job done. With two goals from three shots, he was deadly efficient, and at his contribution at the other end, with three tackles and three clearances showed his worth.
Interestingly, the fact that Lingard attempted only 18 passes across the entire game – of which 83% found their intended recipient, much higher than the team average of 66% – showed the efficiency of his performance.
United may have David de Gea to thank for thank for ensuring that there was no Arsenal comeback, but the game would not have had the same outcome if Lingard wasn’t just as precise and efficient at the other end.
If Jose Mourinho was looking for a Ji-Sung Park or Darren Fletcher figure, a man to rely on in the bigger games of the season, then he may well be uncovering one in Lingard.
According to reports in The Times, Manchester City are considering making a January move for Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk, who is rated at £70m by the south coast oufit.
The Times says that Citizens boss Pep Guardiola wants to strengthen his central defensive options in the New Year, and he will decide between trying to sign van Dijk or Real Sociedad’s Inigo Martinez, who would be a cheaper option.
The report adds that long-term admirers Liverpool are still keen on the 26-year-old having seen an attempt to sign him during the summer rebuffed, while Arsene Wenger is also weighing up a move for the Netherlands international.
Meanwhile, Everton’s fortunes have turned around since they were beaten 4-1 by Saints at St Mary’s last month, and they have taken 10 points from a possible 12 since, keeping three clean sheets in the process.
While performances and results have improved following a hugely disappointing start to the campaign, Sam Allardyce is still likely to want to strengthen his squad in January, and the Daily Mail says he is keen to sign a new centre-back.
The arrival of van Dijk at the Etihad Stadium would certainly bring Eliaquim Mangala’s future into doubt, and bringing him to Goodison Park could prove to be a shrewd move.
Here are three reasons Everton should move for the Frenchman if City sign the Dutch defender…
Future centre-back options
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It is of little surprise that Allardyce is reportedly looking for a new centre-back in January, because it is something that Everton certainly need to sort out not only for this season, but also for the future.
With Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams getting no younger, Michael Keane struggling for form after a decent start to his Toffees career and Mason Holgate still developing, the Merseyside outfit look to need an experienced player that is still yet to reach the peak of his career, and Mangala certainly fits the bill with his Premier League knowledge.
His qualities
Mangala has only played 290 minutes of Premier League football for Man City this season, but he has certainly shown his qualities during that time on the pitch.
According to Squawka, the 26-year-old has made six clearances and three interceptions in four top flight outings this term, while he has won six aerial duels and has an impressive passing accuracy of 95% from 135 pass attempts.
The Frenchman was far more of a regular in the 2015/16 campaign where, according to Squawka, he won 41 aerial duels, as well as making 123 clearances and 66 interceptions in 23 English top flight appearances.
The fact that he successfully completed five of the six take-ons he attempted also shows that he isn’t afraid to beat an opponent and is relatively comfortable on the ball.
Price tag
By the time we get to January Mangala will only have 18 months left on his Man City contract, and his lack of game time this term and his season-long loan spell with Valencia during the previous campaign suggests he won’t be offered an extension to his deal while Pep Guardiola is in charge.
If City do sign Virgil van Dijk in January then the Spaniard may be under pressure to sell one of his centre-backs in order to try and balance the books a little, and that could mean that Mangala is available in a cut-price deal.
Considering his experience in the Premier League and in Europe – as well as the fact that he has eight France caps to his name in a highly competitive squad – he could prove to be a bargain buy for Everton.
Tottenham fans don’t want to lose Erik Lamela, after a report named the feisty winger as one of five major first team players that could leave the club.
According to The Daily Express (via Tribal Football), Danny Rose, Mousa Dembele, Moussa Sissoko and Toby Alderweireld and Lamela could all be sold this summer to raise funds for new signings.
Dembele is expected to leave as he enters the last 12 months of his contract, with the club, player and even most fans all feeling it is time to cash in.
Rose and Alderweireld tend to split opinion, with some fans furious they could lose two quality players and other fans feeling if they don’t want to be at the club it’s best to let them leave.
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One player everyone seems to be agreeing on though is Lamela, who hardly made any impact last season due to injuries and personal reasons.
The popular Argentine started just seven Premier League games, scoring his only league goals of the season in the final day win over Leicester.
The 26 year-old has not always had the best end product, but he is extremely hard working, incredibly skilful, and of course has that wonderful knack of winding up opposition fans and players.
You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
Everton have once again been linked with a move for Wilfried Zaha, and the dazzling winger is the type of superstar signing the Toffees need to transform their season.
What’s the story?
According to Neil Jones from Goal.com, Everton are planning a £50m move for Zaha, after he reportedly rejected a new contract at Crystal Palace.
The report claims Marco Silva is looking to add at least four new faces at Goodison this summer, with a left back also high up on the priority list.
Zaha would be the Toffees’ marquee signing, with Palace expected to demand at least £50m for a move, but Tottenham, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool are all sniffing around as well.
There is hope for the Toffees though, as the player is “open to the idea of leaving Palace”, and could be tempted to thrive under Silva in the same way Richarlison did at Watford.
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Superstar under Silva?
Say what you want about Silva, but he certainly knows how to get the best out of the attacking talents at his disposal. Zaha is already a star, and with a little extra push from the Toffees’ new boss could become one of the best players in the league.
The 25 year-old scored nine times in 29 Premier League appearances last season, and was always the man the Eagles looked to when they needed something out of nothing. He could serve a similar purpose at Goodison, popping up with glorious goals, but also develop a more creative side playing alongside the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Cenk Tosun.
Zaha averaged nearly two key passes per game last season, creating a total of 47 chances across the season, but picked up just three assists. Now, put end product from the likes of Sigurdsson and Tosun on those chance instead of Christian Benteke, and the Ivory Coast international’s assist numbers would skyrocket.
£50m is a hell of a lot of money for a player yet to really hit his prime, but the Toffees paid close to that for Sigurdsson last summer and Zaha is younger, faster and has a far higher ceiling. One final added bonus for Everton fans – he absolutely torched Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold for 45 minutes at Selhurst Park last season.
If Silva wants not only a creative, goalscoring winger but also a dazzling showman who will get the fans excited for every match, then he can’t go wrong with the Crystal Palace talisman.
So, Everton fans, would you like to see a move for Zaha? Is he worth £50m? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…
Every summer like clockwork, Newcastle United fans experience a frustrating few months in the transfer window.
Two seasons in a row, club owner Mike Ashley has promised that all funds generated by the club will be handed to manager Rafael Benitez for the transfer kitty.
Once again, spending has been at a minimum, with Martin Dubravka signing a permanent deal, Ki Sung-yeung joining on a free and Kenedy returning on another loan from Chelsea.
Numerous names have been linked with moves to St James’ Park over the last few weeks, but done deals are few and far between.
On Wednesday, The Chronicle journalist Lee Ryder provided a piece of transfer news for the fans, but it was not warmly welcomed by all.
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The reporter confirmed that young midfielder Sean Longstaff has had his proposed loan move to Portsmouth postponed, indicating that he could be given a chance in the first team.
Some fans were delighted with this news, while others saw it as a sign that the club are struggling to bring in new players.
According to a recent report from The Daily Star, Everton are one of several Premier League sides interested in signing Croatia World Cup ace Domagoj Vida this summer. The 29-year-old played a huge part in helping his country reach the showpiece in Russia this summer in starting six of their seven matches, including their 4-2 final defeat to France in Moscow earlier this month.
And his excellent exploits for his country has reportedly attracted the interest of several Premier League sides, one of which being Everton, although Marco Silva’s men should forget about him and instead do all they can to land fellow World Cup star Yerry Mina.
The Breakdown
Ultimately, while 29-year-old Vida deserves great credit for helping Croatia produce their best-ever World Cup performance, he will be 30 during the coming campaign, and part of the Toffees’ biggest problem in the last year or so has been the fact that their backline is indeed aging.
The likes of Ashley Williams, Leighton Baines, and Phil Jagielka are all in the twilight of their careers and as such a more youthful approach in the transfer market could well be needed, and while Vida isn’t as far along as the aforementioned trio, his arrival would hardly be a nod to the long term.
Whereas 23-year-old Mina certainly would be, at the same time landing a centre back who has proven his worth in the last few years for both club and country.
Ultimately, one does not sign for Barcelona if one is not a seriously accomplished player, which is exactly where Mina moved to back in January to underline his credentials, even if he did only appear six times in all competitions in the second half of last season.
Yet it was also his efforts for Colombia at this summer’s World Cup which appear to be of interest to Everton chief Silva, as the 23-year-old netted three times for his country to help them reach the last 16, at the same time only conceding once while Mina was on the pitch.
Clearly, the centre back is hugely influential in both his own box and indeed the opposition’s to suggest that he could be a huge asset to Silva, not least because his addition would be a much-needed nod to the long-term, which hasn’t always been the case with signings in recent times – there’s a reason they have been linked with him this summer.
Thus, while Vida is a very accomplished defender, the Toffees should forget about him and instead seal a deal for fellow World Cup ace Mina this summer.