Chelsea and Manchester City fear relegation after Everton’s historic ten-point deduction for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. Everton’s sanction has raised concerns from other clubs in the Premier League who are under investigation for similar offenses. UK legal sports experts have suggested that if found guilty, both Manchester City, who faced 115 FFP charges in January, and Chelsea, currently under investigation for transfers during Roman Abramovich’s tenure, could potentially face relegation. Stefan Borson, a popular sports lawyer said, “Ten points for Everton feels harsh for a straightforward Financial Fair Play breach. Chelsea and Manchester City managers – Getty image “But it reinforces that sanctions against City and now Chelsea will be potentially relegation-inducing,” The Sun UK reported. Manchester City have in the past, consistently denied all allegations on the case and fielded top legal representatives. Chelsea, on the other hand, disclosed issues of illegal financial dealings from Abramovich’s era and are awaiting the outcome of investigations into the alleged offenses that span over multiple years. Meanwhile, the three-man commission leading Everton’s case noted the gravity of the breach. They said that Everton had an irresponsible management of finances and failed to operate within the agreed threshold. “Everton’s culpability is great. This was a serious breach that requires a significant penalty. “We cannot ignore the fact that the failure to comply with the regime was the result of Everton irresponsibly taking a chance that things would turn out positively. “Further, Everton was less than frank in its dealings with the Premier League over the stadium interest issue. “Everton failed to manage its finances so as to operate within the generous threshold,” they added. Everton’s interim chief Colin Chong on the other hand, has vowed that the club will appeal the decision, stating it’s a verdict that affects the club, just as it affects it fans.
Chelsea, Manchester City play out thrilling 4-4 draw in dramatic Premier League clash
Chelsea and Manchester City played out a sensational 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge, a clash that will be remembered for its exhilarating drama. The match featured a rain of goals, and several stunning individual performances. Former Manchester City player Cole Palmer stole a potential win for City, driving home an injury-time penalty for Chelsea, to mark the Blues third equalizer of the night. The penalty canceled out Rodri’s deflected shot in the 87th minute of the Premier League game. Chelsea hosted City in a thrilling 4-4 draw Erling Haaland scored twice in the thrilling encounter. Manuel Akanji’s header also ensured he was on the score sheet. However, Chelsea, showed resilience, responding with goals from Thiago Silva, Raheem Sterling, Nicolas Jackson, and Palmer’s late penalty. The game left both teams fans gasping for air, for its high intensity and attacking pressure. Recall Chelsea had come off a recent 4-1 win against Tottenham Las Monday, and fought hard for a point against City, which they successfully secured.
Tottenham suffer second consecutive defeat against Wolves, after Chelsea show
Wolves secured a 2-1 win over Tottenham with Pablo Sarabia’s late goal and assist, leaving Spurs in disbelief. Tottenham had hoped to bounce back after a 4-1 loss to Chelsea on Monday, but their problem have now worsened. Pablo Sarabia after his goal – Getty image They were the favourites going into the game, and did took the lead with Brennan Johnson’s early goal from Pedro Porro’s fine cross. However, the table turned in injury time as Sarabia showcased his brilliance. The 31-year-old seized an opportunity to send home a powerful shot to level the score in the dying minute. The late drama continued as Sarabia turned a provider, setting up Mario Lemina, who capitalized on defensive lapses to give Wolves the lead in the 97th minute.
£20 million ask price prevented Chelsea from signing Bellingham
Former Chelsea manager and legend Frank Lampard reveals he made attempts to sign Jude Bellingham during his time in charge of the club. Lampard disclosed during Mikel Obi’s ‘Obi One’ Podcast that he was “desperate” to bring Bellingham to Chelsea, but the club’s management was unwilling to pay the asking price, which was around £20 million at the time. Bellingham has made a huge impact since his move to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund last summer. The Spanish giants signed the English international in a deal worth up to £113 million.
Jude Bellingham – Getty image However, Lampard’s efforts to sign him during his tenure at Chelsea were thwarted. “When I was managing at Chelsea (first time) I was desperate to bring Jude Bellingham in. “But I couldn’t get it through upstairs – the idea of paying £20m for someone his age (at the time),” Lampard said. Lampard who first managed Chelsea from July 2019 to January 2021, expressed his desire to secure Bellingham when the midfielder was still playing for Birmingham City. Although Lampard couldn’t convince the club’s decision-makers to sign Bellingham, the player later made a move to Borussia Dortmund in a £25 million transfer transfer fee. During Lampard’s time as Chelsea manager, the club primarily signed established players like Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz, and Edouard Mendy, who have all been sold now.
Pochettino hopes to stay at Chelsea for 25 years, hints possibility of Tottenham return
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he hopes to stay at the club for 20-25 years, ahead of their London derby against Tottenham. In a recent interview, the Argentine gaffer said although it is uncertain, he hopes to stay longer as the Blues manager. “Hopefully, I can stay at Chelsea until I die! 20 or 25 years, but you never know in football.” While he holds on to his ambitions, he has left the door open to the possibility of managing Tottenham Hotspur again in the future. Mauricio Pochettino – Getty image Pochettino who was previously in charge of Tottenham, stated that managing their fierce London rivals does not necessarily rule out a return to Spurs. The managers comments came ahead of his first return to Tottenham since he was sacked four years ago. He will lead a Chelsea side into the much anticipated Monday night Premier League game, with eyes set on snatching a win against Ange Postecoglou’s men who are yet to lose a single match this season. He said, “Who knows? It’s like life; you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. We need to enjoy today and not look too much into the future.” Pochettino joined Chelsea in July on a two-year deal, with the option of a one-year extension. He has only spent four months in his current contract.
Chelsea to Face Newcastle in Carabao Cup quarter-finals
Chelsea will face Newcastle United in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup after securing a 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers. This was disclosed in an official statement on Chelsea official website on Thursday. The Blues announced that the match has been slated to hold at Stamford Bridge on Monday, December 18. Recall that Chelsea secured their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday, after defeating Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday evening. Newcastle United defeated Man United at Old Trafford 3-0 Mranwhile, Chelsea has a history of facing Newcastle in the League Cup quarter-finals, with memorable clashes in the past. In 2001, a last-minute header by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink resulted in a 1-0 win for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Five years later, at St James’ Park, Didier Drogba’s free-kick secured Chelsea’s place in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Newcastle under Eddie Howe, displayed an impressive performance to eliminate Manchester United in the competition, winning 3-0 at Old Trafford. The other fixtures in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals include Everton vs Fulham, Port Vale vs Middlesbrough, and Liverpool vs. West Ham. The Blues last won the Carabao Cup in 2015, and are looking to make a strong claim for the title this season under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Chelsea advance to Carabao Cup quarter-finals with 2-0 win over Blackburn
Chelsea secured a spot in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday. Benoit Badiashile, making his first appearance of the season after a long hamstring injury, put Chelsea ahead. The Blues’ captain, Reece James, who was starting his first match since the opening game of the season due to a similar injury, added strength to the team. Despite being against lower league opposition, Chelsea performance was a bit questionable. Raheem Sterling scored the winner for Chelsea – Getty image However, Mauricio Pochettino’s side has shown progress in the, reaching the quarter-finals of a major tournament only four months as the club’s manager. Raheem Sterling sealed the victory with a beautifully curled second goal just on the hour mark. The Londoners, with a young squad, still faces challenges in their forward line, and striker Nicolas Jackson, who had a promising start to the season, struggled to make an impact.
Aubameyang joins Marseille from Chelsea
Chelsea have confirmed the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has signed for Ligue 1 side Marseille permanently. Both Chelsea and Marseille did not reveal the amount paid for Aubameyang. Aubameyang unveiled as a Marseille player. Source: Getty This is the second time the 34-year-old Gabon international will be leaving the Premier League in 18 months, having spent four years at Arsenal from 2018 before joining Barca in January 2022. Aubameyang scored one goal in 15 Premier League appearances for the Blues last season and was left out of the squad for the Champions League knock-out stages by then-manager Graham Potter in February. He scored only three goals in his time at the club and they all came in October. His first Chelsea goal came against Crystal Palace in the Premier League, before back-to-back Champions League strikes against AC Milan. It’s been alleged that Chelsea owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital were happy to hand Aubameyang a free transfer to get his wages off their outgoings. Aubameyang celebrating his goal for Chelsea. Source: Getty The Premier League giants will be relieved to make greater strides into boosting their position with FFP, the onus now on finding a buyer for Romelu Lukaku. As many as 12 of last season’s senior squad have now left Chelsea, and others will follow with Hakim Ziyech also out of Pochettino’s plans despite a move to Al-Nassr falling through. Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic has signed for Manchester City, Kai Havertz has joined Arsenal, and Mason Mount has moved to Manchester United, while goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and defender Kalidou Koulibaly have made the switch to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli. N’Golo Kante has also moved to Saudi Arabia, joining Al-Ittihad, while midfielders Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic have joined AC Milan and former captain Cesar Azpilicueta is now an Atletico Madrid player. Aubameyang has previous experience in Ligue 1 having played for St Etienne for two years from 2011 and 2013 as well as loan spells with Dijon, Lille, and Monaco.
Raheem Sterling says diet change affected his Chelsea debut
Raheem Sterling has revealed that a change in diet and subsequent weight gain was behind his troubled debut campaign at Chelsea in which he struggled with repeated injuries. The forward made 38 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea after joining from Manchester City in a £47.5 million ($61.1m) move last July. He suffered persistent hamstring problems and missed England’s final two squads of the season.
Raheem Sterling training with his Chelsea teammates. Source: Getty Sterling sat out June’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia following discussions with England boss Gareth Southgate, who later said that the winger was “not happy physically with his condition” and “doesn’t think he’s operating at the level he needs.” The 28-year-old struggled to consistently produce his best form at Stamford Bridge but is aiming to put a mixed campaign behind him as part of Chelsea’s 29-man squad on tour in the United States. Sterling originally attempted to correct the muscle niggles and increase energy levels during last season by adjusting his diet, but after feeling too heavy he hired a nutritionist to help. Speaking ahead of the Blues’ pre-season clash against Brighton in Philadelphia today, July 22, Sterling said he now feels better than ever after trimming down.
Sterling shares a joke with Mauricio Pochettino during training on Chelsea’s US tour. Source: Getty He said; “Pre-season is always a way to get the body right and I am in a great place. Last season I changed a bit of my diet and went to do something a little bit different that I had not done before, and I had a little more kilograms on me that I have not had before. “I think probably carrying a little bit of extra weight, I had a few hamstring problems and that was it. Towards the end of the season the hamstring was playing up again. “Me and [Southgate] made a decision together that the best thing for me to do was to get the hamstring right.” When asked specifically about the diet change, Sterling added: “Just eating a little bit less.”
Chelsea complete signing of Angelo Gabriel from Santos
Premier League club, Chelsea have completed the signing of 18-year-old Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel from Santos. The 18-year-old has put pen to paper on a long-term deal at Stamford Bridge, although the exact length of his contract has not been disclosed by the club. The fee to take Angelo to West London is understood to be around €15m (£12.8m). Angelo Gabriel celebrating a goal scored for Santos. Source: Getty Chelsea said in a statement; “Chelsea has completed the signing of Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel from Santos. Born in Brasilia, the 18-year-old arrives at Stamford Bridge with a wealth of senior football under his belt; he made 129 first-team appearances for Santos across all competitions. Welcome to Chelsea, Angelo!” Angelo is now expected to join his new teammates on their pre-season tour of the United States, although he is likely to be sent out on loan for the 2023-24 campaign, with Strasbourg an option. The attacker became the youngest player in Brazilian top-flight history when he made his debut at the age of just 15 years and 308 days in 2020. Angelo has remained a regular fixture in the Santos first team since that debut, making 129 senior appearances for the club despite his age. Chelsea have committed large amounts of spending to the academy since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital arrived last summer. Angelo Gabriel playing for Santos. Source: Getty Diego Moreira has joined from Benfica on a free transfer this week while Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Paez has also signed, though will only join when he turns 18 in 2025. Last summer, big moves were made for Cesare Casadei, Andrey Santos, Omari Hutchinson, and Carney Chukwuemeka. Whether or not Angelo stays with the first-team remains to be seen as Mauricio Pochettino works with the squad. The Argentine wants to take a close look at every player before making a decision on whether or not to sanction departures. Pochettino has a history of developing youngsters and the hope is that Angelo will be the latest success story.