It was the same feeling last season – that Chelsea did not feel invincible and there were areas where they could be exploited.
Yet nobody managed to take advantage as they went unbeaten in their WSL, FA Cup and League Cup triumphs.
They took time to settle in Friday’s opening game, instead needing to figure out how to stop the movement of their opponents and get around a new-look set-up from Andree Jeglertz in his first game in charge of City.
The match had been teed up nicely by Chelsea’s presentation of blockbuster deadline day signing Alyssa Thompson walking out on a red carpet before kick-off.
Sam Kerr, the Australian superstar striker, was also back in the squad for the first time in 20 months after her recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
And there was a debut for Kerr’s compatriot Ellie Carpenter – an exciting full-back addition from eight-time Champions League winners Lyon.
But after working out City’s fluid system, the hosts quickly settled into their usual routine to take control of the match.
They realised Carpenter had the better of City captain Alex Greenwood with her pace and was causing the visiting defence problems. So Chelsea kept getting the ball to Carpenter and the debutant assisted Aggie Beever-Jones for the opener.
They doubled their lead in the second half, capitalising once again with their attacking quality after City created good chances of their own, but did not take them.
An own goal from Niamh Charles on a Greenwood set-piece was the only chink in the armour despite all of City’s pressure and creativity – and the unanswered chants of “we want Kerr” was the only thing missing in an otherwise perfect scenario for the Chelsea support.
They had three points against one of their title rivals and Carpenter ran the show.
“Yeah, I’m pleased with the result but also the performance,” said manager Bompastor. “In the first half we had control and created the most dangerous opportunities.
“We were able to keep some really good players at City quiet. We had a strong start in the season and I’m pleased with that, but it’s only the first game.
“In terms of the psychological aspect, it’s always important to beat a big opponent and someone who is trying to fight for the league.
“I won’t go crazy with these three points. We still have 21 [games] to go.”
Violent action unfolded in Wrocław’s historic square
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Police separated the fans, before allegedly also arresting fans away from these scenes
The fighting spilt over when fans started kicking and throwing flares into each other’s camps, chairs were flying through the air, and fans squared up to each other before police, some armed with guns, came to split them up.
However, AWAY from that drama, according to the Football Supporters Association, ten Chelsea fans were wrongfully arrested and detained without any access to legal representation or allowed contact with relatives for 24 hours.
It’s claimed that these fans were not at all involved with the disorder elsewhere in Wrocław’s historic square.
Those involved allegedly had their hands cable-tied by police wearing masks, and held in vans with no ventilation, food or water for hours, before being taken to a police station.
There, they claim to have been mocked, strip-searched, and coerced into signing documents without the benefit of any translation or legal explanation.
One of the detainees said, “One individual suffered a panic attack and was nearly unconscious before officers permitted minimal bathroom access.
“When we arrived at the station, detainees were mocked by officers, denied phone calls, and strip-searched in front of mixed-gender officers.”
Another fan said: “We were presented with documents written entirely in Polish and were coerced into signing them without the benefit of any translation or legal explanation whatsoever.
“Although I was presented with my rights in English, I was barely given any time to read them before being taken to my cell. When I asked if I could take the document with me to read it properly, my request was denied, and this form remained unsigned.”
The fans involved were then supposedly released over 24 HOURS after the initial upset, missing the entirety of their team’s European final in which Chelsea beat Real Betis 4-1, while Polish police claim the fans were ‘misidentified’ and released as ‘witnesses’ without apology.
Moment cops swoop on man after Chelsea game over fears he was carrying gun
While the group are pursuing legal advice and hoping to receive compensation for how they were treated, they have been backed by the Chelsea Supporters Trust and called on Chelsea and UEFA to look into the incident further.
The fans involved said: “We ask that Chelsea treat these matters with the seriousness they deserve and stand firmly against the injustice committed against innocent supporters.
“We hope Chelsea FC will support its fans and take appropriate steps to defend those who did nothing wrong.
“The treatment that some Chelsea supporters received from the Polish authorities in Wroclaw before the Conference League Final in May was utterly appalling.
“The treatment of these supporters was unacceptable, and the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust will continue to assist and support those supporters in their ongoing dispute with all authorities involved.”
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Police used tear gas on fans in the main square
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Gun-wielding officers took to the streets as fans looked on in fear
An estimated 70,000 fans arrived in the city earlier in the week with many drinking and eating in close proximity to rival supporters.
A statement from Lower Silesian Police in Wrocław said 28 people had been arrested on Wednesday over the violent scenes.
They said at the time: “After 5pm on the Wrocław Market Square, in connection with the previous negative behaviour of fans and the clash of several hundred people from both teams, arrests of fans involved in this incident are ongoing.
“The police quickly took action and restored the violated legal order, and now they continue to act so that others can safely participate in this great celebration of sports.
“At this moment, we can confirm the arrest of 28 participants in the incident.
“No one will escape legal responsibility and the police will react decisively and appropriately to the situation.”
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Angel City winger Alyssa Thompson left for London on Wednesday afternoon as negotiations continued on a transfer that would send her from the NWSL to Chelsea of the Women’s Super League. But she might be running out of time since the WSL transfer window closes at 3 p.m. PDT Thursday, less than 24 hours after she boarded her flight.
“She wants to go to Chelsea and made it very clear she wants to leave,” said a person close to Thompson, who would speak only on condition of anonymity for fear of disrupting the delicate negotiations. “The rest is out of our hands.”
Thompson’s agent, Takumi Jeannin, declined to speak about the negotiations on the record while Angel City did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The speedy Thompson, 20, has already said goodbye to her Angel City teammates and did not suit up for the team’s win over Bay FC on Monday. She reportedly spent two days waiting to fly to London, where the transfer would be announced, only to repeatedly be told the deal had hit a snag.
If the transfer is agreed to, the fee for the U.S. international and World Cup veteran is expected to top $1 million and could smash the record $1.5 million the Orlando Pride paid Mexico’s Tigres for Lizbeth Ovalle last month.
USWNT defender Naomi Girma was the first $1-million transfer in women’s soccer history when she went from the San Diego Wave to Chelsea last January. Canadian Olivia Smith broke that record in July, going from Liverpool to Arsenal for $1.3 million.
Thompson was still an 18-year-old senior at Harvard-Westlake High when she became the youngest player taken in the NWSL draft, going to Angel City with the No. 1 pick in January 2023. That summer she became the second-youngest player to appear in a World Cup game for the U.S.
Thompson signed a three-year contract worth an estimated $1 million after the draft in 2023, then agreed to a three-year extension in January. She is the club’s all-time scoring leader with 21 goals in all competitions and she ranks sixth in appearances with 74. Her six goals in 16 games this season ranks second behind Riley Tiernan’s eight and she also has three goals and three assists in 22 games with the national team.
Thompson leaving Angel City would also mean leaving her sister and roommate Gisele, 19, a national team defender who was signed by Angel City in December 2023.
For Angel City, meanwhile, losing Thompson would strike a significant blow to the team’s playoff hopes. The club, which has won two straight and is unbeaten in its last four, is a point out of the league’s eighth and final postseason berth with eight games to play. But Angel City already lost two players — midfielders Alanna Kennedy and Katie Zelem — on transfers to London City of the WSL for undisclosed fees last month. And the week before that it traded forward Julie Dufour to the Portland Thorns for $40,000 in intra-league transfer funds and an international roster spot.
In addition, the club is without Scottish international Claire Emslie, who is on maternity leave, defender Savy King, who is on medical leave, and U.S. World Cup champion Sydney Leroux, who has stepped away from soccer to deal with her mental health.
After Monday’s win over Bay FC, Angel City coach Alexander Straus said the uncertainty over Thompson’s future with the team has been distracting.
“If I’m being honest, the last couple of days, it’s been difficult,” he said.
Straus said he learned Thompson would not be available just a day before the game.
“It’s been hard for me in my position when things change,” he said. “It changes our plans and changes the plans for the players.”
“But none of us is bigger than the club,” he added. “We focus on that, what is our value together. And if somebody leaves at some point — or somebody has left a couple of weeks ago — I think it does something to a group. It’s not easy, but it’s how you manage it.”
While the loss of a player like Thompson would hurt Angel City on the field, the likely seven-figure transfer fee would help ameliorate that. The same might not be true for NWSL, whose success and its marketing has long been built around the personalities playing in the league.
Yet in recent years it has lost Alex Morgan to retirement while national team stars including Girma, Crystal Dunn, Emily Fox, Lindsey Heaps (nee Horan), Catarina Macario and Korbin Shrader (nee Albert) have left to play in Europe.
Losing Thompson would be another blow.
As for Chelsea, it is the most successful club in the WSL, having won a domestic treble last season in Sonia Bompastor’s first season as coach. Bompastor replaced Emma Hayes, who left to take over the U.S. national team.
Chelsea will open its WSL season on Friday against Manchester City.
Maiara Niehues scored the go-ahead goal on a header in the 77th minute to give Angel City a 2-1 victory over Bay FC at BMO Stadium on Monday.
Riley Tiernan also scored for Angel City (6-7-5), which won its second straight after an eight-game winless streak.
Angel City’s Alyssa Thompson was an excused absence for the game as rumors swirled that Chelsea was in talks to acquire the 20-year-old winger. The transfer deadline in the English Women’s Super League is Thursday.
Any fee for Thompson is likely to exceed $1 million. The Orlando Pride recently paid an international record $1.5 million transfer fee for forward Lizbeth Ovalle from Mexico’s Tigres.
Bay (4-9-5) is winless in its last seven matches.
Tiernan took a pass from M.A. Vignola and ran it down field before cutting inside and dancing around Bay defenders before firing a shot past Bay goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz in the 12th minute.
It was Tiernan’s team-leading eighth goal. She moved into second for most goals ever by an NWSL rookie.
Rachel Hill scored the equalizer for Bay, scoring on the rebound off her own shot on Angel City goalkeeper Hannah Seabert in the 37th minute.
Niehues broke the stalemate on a header off a corner kick.
On Bay FC’s side, Asisat Oshoala was also an excused absence amid numerous reports of a move to Al Hilal Saudi Women’s Premier League.
MICHAEL SALISBURY has been REMOVED as the VAR official for Liverpool vs Arsenal just hours before kick off.
Salisbury, 40, was on VAR duty for Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Fulham yesterday, during which he controversially sent the referee over to the monitor to disallow Josh King’s opener.
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Referee Robert Jones was sent over to the monitorCredit: Reuters
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Rodrigo Muniz was deemed to have fouled Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up to the goal
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In replacing Emma Hayes at Chelsea last summer, Sonia Bompastor perhaps faced the toughest task in women’s football.
But you wouldn’t have guessed this after a season in which the Blues won the WSL, FA Cup and League Cup, and lost in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals to Barcelona.
Despite only being under the guidance of the Frenchwoman for a year, Bright has built a relationship with Bompastor similar to what she had with Hayes, who left the Blues to take charge of the United States women’s national team.
“To be able to experience that and have that relationship with two separate managers is really special,” added Bright.
“To still feel you have that open-door policy, I could go to her for anything, and she has been amazing throughout the summer as well.
“I know if I needed her, I could go to her. You feel really lucky to have that.”
Bright said it was “really refreshing” to return to Chelsea training and is now raring to go for the new campaign.
“I was eager to get back on the pitch and finally be pain free with my knee and it not blow up after every session and I am actually able to walk down stairs after a tough day,” she added.
“I don’t feel like I ever lost the buzz, but I was so drained that I was so ready for a break. But now I am so ready for the first game and get back out there.”
Having won the last six WSL titles and claimed the two cup competitions last season, Chelsea are the dominant force in women’s football.
Before their season opener at Stamford Bridge against Manchester City on Friday, 5 September, Bright said her side will not rest on their laurels, especially having missed out on a coveted first Champions League.
“You can’t stand still,” she added. “You have to look at every factor of the game, what we do and the Chelsea model.
“We achieved a lot, but we didn’t achieve one thing that we really want. We want to do it all again. We don’t just want that, we want everything. We want to be even better.
“Every other team has grown and is getting even stronger and every team is going to want to win like us.
“It’s scary that we are going to another level, but that is the exciting part.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC’s Action Line.
CHELSEA are interested in signing Sporting Lisbon striker Conrad Harder, according to reports.
The Blues could re-enter the transfer market for a forward following the injury suffered by Liam Delap against Fulham on Saturday.
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Conrad Harder is attracting interest from ChelseaCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Enzo Maresca’s side were on the brink of loaning Nicolas Jackson to Bayern Munich, having deemed the 24-year-old to be surplus to requirements.
Jackson was allowed to travel to Germany for a medical yesterday, only for Chelsea to pull the plug on the deal upon Delap’s injury.
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TRANSFER NEWS LIVE – KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW
Joao Pedro scored his second goal in the Premier LeagueCredit: AFP
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Trevoh Chalobah was too soft in the backlineCredit: AFP
Summer signing Pedro gave the hosts the lead with a header in the dying seconds of the first half.
The Blues‘ afternoon was made more comfortable as Enzo Fernandez converted from the spot in the 56th minute.
Fulham did have chances as defender Trevoh Chalobah seemed like a weak spot in the backline.
Here’s how SunSport reporter Jack Rosserrated the Chelsea players…
Robert Sanchez – 6
Sanchez will have been relieved that Josh King’s opening goal was ruled out, given he was made to look rather silly with the near post finish.
Other than that, however, the Spaniard had a very, very quiet afternoon with little to do after the first half scare.
Malo Gusto – 6
A couple of fine, flying challenges to stop Fulham on the counter while also supporting the winger in flying forwards whenever he can.
Given how good he can be, it feels like Reece James may take the right-back spot from Gusto soon but the Frenchman is putting forwards a good case at the moment.
A very difficult first half for the Blues defender.
Chalobah was lucky that VAR intervened in the build-up to Fulham’s disallowed goal after he was easily rolled by Rodrigo Muniz.
Christopher Nkunku seals transfer to AC Milan just two years after Chelsea move
He was also easily beaten by Josh King not too long after that. Picked up in the second half.
Tosin Adarabioyo – 6
A tough battle with former Fulham teammates Muniz and Raul Jimenez a times but led the Blues back four well.
Came close to opening the scoring but could not react to get an effort on target after a corner deflected his way off of Kenny Tete.
Marc Cucurella – 6
The Spaniard was fairly untroubled throughout, keeping the danger down his side to a minimum – especially impressive after Adama Traore was thrown on to try and get Fulham back in.
As always, a ball of energy looking to cause trouble going forwards, but little joy on that front this weekend.
Moises Caicedo – 8
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Moises Caicedo impressed in the midfieldCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Despite having trained just once this week since the West Ham game, Caicedo put in another stellar display.
Dominant against a hefty Fulham midfield, the Ecuador international held everything together for the Blues.
And even when the control slipped, Caicedo was there to save the day – making a superb last-ditch challenge to deny Timothy Castange what looked a certain goal minutes before the Blues opened the scoring.
Enzo Fernandez – 6
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Enzo Fernandez converted from the spotCredit: AFP
A bizarre afternoon for the Chelsea captain, who shushed his own fans and raged at the fitness coach at halftime.
Some sloppy play first half but stepped up and helped Chelsea gain a little more control after the break, before pulling rank and keeping his cool to convert the penalty and double the lead.
Estevao – 6
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Estevao put in another bright displayCredit: Getty
Another encouraging afternoon for the teenage winger.
Estevao showed his strength and power with a barge on Ryan Sessengnon in the first half, winning the ball before skipping away and past Calvin Bassey.
End product could do with some work still but plenty to be excited about.
Joao Pedro – 7
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Pedro opened the scoringCredit: Getty
Another week and another goal for Pedro.
The Brazilian found space well and confidently nodded home his second Premier League goal of the season to get things rolling.
Pedro even kept his mouth shut when Enzo Fernandez wanted to claim the penalty and open his account for the campaign, giving his captain a hug for support before the spot kick.
Pedro Neto – 5
A lot of hard work for little reward.
With Alejandro Garnacho watching on and Jamie Gittens already providing competition from the bench – Neto will have to show more if he is to keep his place in the side.
Liam Delap – n/a
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Liam Delap went off injuredCredit: Getty
The striker suffered a huge blow as he went off injured early in the first half.
Substitutes
Tyrique George (Delap, 13′) – 5
Thrown in much earlier than expected after Delap’s early injury and asked to lead the line – not his usual position.
It was a surprise George was even turned to given talks progressing over a move to Roma.
his was not a performance that will add any more to the transfer fee as George struggled to make an impact.
Jamie Gittens (Estevao, 67′) – 6
Offered precious little from the bench, although Chelsea were more seeing out the game rather than pushing desperately for a third goal once Gittens was sent on.
At a fee of £40m, in a window where players have been going for really silly money, he does not represent a massive risk.
The question is whether Garnacho is better than what Chelsea already have or what they have let go in the course of an incredible summer of buying and selling.
Garnacho is set to duke it out with fellow new arrival Jamie Gittens to be Maresca’s first choice down the left.
The Blues boss said: “They are quite similar.
“When we are looking for a winger, we like wingers who are good in one-v-one, they are quite vertical, aggressive, they can attack, they can create something.
“Jamie is that profile. If Garnacho arrives, we will see.”
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Fellow new signings Jamie Gittens had better numbers than Garnacho last seasonCredit: Getty
Garnacho brings more competition for places in Chelsea’s well-stocked attack.
But when you compare his stats for last season to those of Gittens, it is not much of a contest.
Chelsea fans needn’t worry about losing Rio Ngumoha, there’s somone better on the way
Across most of the important categories, Gittens was better: goals, assists, dribbles, chance conversion and so on.
There are two points to consider, however. Firstly, Gittens had a great time in front of goal last season, outperforming his expected goals significantly.
Meanwhile Garnacho had a particularly bad time when it came to converting big chances.
While Sancho was playing for Borussia Dortmund – as Gittens was last season – the then England manager Gareth Southgate was asked frequently about his form and whether he deserved more game time.
Without ever actually saying, “Lads, it’s the Bundesliga”, Southgate made it pretty clear that doing well in Germany’s top flight was one thing, but reproducing that form in the Premier League and at international level was quite another.
Maresca was not impressed with Gittens’ PL debut against Crystal Palace, hooking him after 54 minutes and putting him on the bench for the 5-1 thrashing of West Ham.
Yet it would be harsh to judge Gittens so soon.
Interestingly, too, Sancho’s stats while he was on loan at Chelsea last season stand up pretty well to Garnacho’s for United in some categories.
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Jadon Sancho also put up better numbers that Garnacho during his Chelsea loan last seasonCredit: Reuters
Sancho seemed to enjoy being away from the toxicity of Old Trafford and Maresca said: “We had Jadon with us and he had a very good season.
“Again, if we finish top four and we achieve what we achieved, it’s also because of Jadon.
“Now with Garnacho, in case [if] he will arrive, we will see.”
That phrase again – we will see.
Noni Madueke, sold to Arsenal by the Blues earlier this summer, outperformed both Sancho and Garnacho last season.
Madueke, of course, plays primarily as a right winger. But on output alone, Chelsea seem to have got rid of a more potent attacking player than Garnacho.
And looking at Pedro Neto’s numbers, you wonder whether the Blues would have been better keeping Madueke.
Garnacho’s statistics for United in 2023/4 were in many cases better than in 2024/5, but not to a spectacular degree.
The Argentinian has it all to prove on the pitch.
He will also need to be careful off it.
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Noni Madueke, who was sold to Arsenal this summer, was Chelsea’s top performing winger last termCredit: Getty
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Pedro Neto also had better stats that GarnachoCredit: Getty
Garnacho infuriated United this summer with his habit of sending not-very-subtle messages of defiance through social media.
The Blues boss said: “We are in an era where I look like the strange one, because I don’t use social networks.
“I have a company that runs my Instagram but I don’t use it. I look strange because I don’t use it.
“But the normal situation in this era is that everyone uses it. I’m not going to tell them, don’t use that.
“First of all, because they have family around them that can give them advice.
“I have four kids and try to give them advice.
“But if I have to give 25 more players advice, it’s too complicated.
“Anyone can do what they want, anyone can say what they want, but in the end it’s a matter of respect.”
Garnacho may find Maresca and Chelsea intolerant of mischief-making on social media and other disruptive behaviour.
And he only has to look at the turnover of players at Stamford Bridge to know what will happen if he does not deliver.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca thinks Cole Palmer’s injury is “not random” and is concerned about the lingering effects of winning the Fifa Club World Cup.
The 23-year-old forward has been ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Fulham.
Palmer’s injury has been linked to an unprecedented 12-month season where his team played 64 matches, including the expanded Club World Cup tournament in July.
After beating Paris St-Germain in New Jersey on July 13, and having less than two weeks to prepare for the current campaign, Chelsea had their shortest ever gap between seasons. This included the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns, which were impacted by the Covid pandemic.
When asked about Palmer’s absence, Maresca said: “I don’t think that it is random that our three players with the most minutes last year were Levi [Colwill], Cole and Moi [Caicedo].
“Levi is injured, Cole too and Moi today only had his first training session since the West Ham game.
“It is not random, it is the amount of games. Look at [Manchester] City last year, they lost Rodri after two or three games. He was a player that had the most minutes for them.
“We are going to have problems this season for sure because of last season. But It’s about how we can adapt and get players to recover.”
England defender Colwill started 35 of Chelsea’s 38 league matches last season but is expected to be out for the majority of the season after knee surgery.
Meanwhile, Caicedo is now a doubt for the visit of Fulham, having been Chelsea’s only player to start every league match last season.
Palmer, who pulled out of last week’s win at West Ham with a niggle in the warm-up, was also a near ever-present in the previous campaign.
Maresca added: “I have said that with Cole we are much better with him than without him. But if he has some problems we need to give him the right time to recover.
“It doesn’t matter if Estevao [Willian] is there or not, we can’t tell Cole he can relax, we need Cole back at 100%.”
Fifpro president Sergio Marchi claimed Fifa “chose to continue increasing its revenue at the expense of the players’ bodies and health” in July after Chelsea’s 3-0 victory over PSG to end the tournament in the United States.
MANCHESTER UNITED have agreed a deal to sell Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea.
The Red Devils have sanctioned an exit for the wantaway winger worth £40million.
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Alejandro Garnacho is joining ChelseaCredit: Getty
Garnacho, 21, will join the Blues on a reported seven-year contract after waiting for a move to materialise all summer.
The Argentine had been pushing for an exit after falling down the pecking order under boss Ruben Amorim.
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MANCHESTER United fans and neutrals alike have revisited a video of Jose Mourinho from last year as evidence that he could be on his way back to Old Trafford.
Jose Mourinho has been linked with a return to Manchester United after comments he made last yearCredit: AFP
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He told the press that he would be interested in moving to a bottom half Premier League teamCredit: X / BBCMOTD
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The 62-year-old legend currently manages Fenerbahce in TurkeyCredit: X / BBCMOTD
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Mourinho previously spent two years managing UtdCredit: X / BBCMOTD
The iconic manager made comments last October hinting that he would be open to a return to a bottom-half Premier League side, after his Fenerbahce side secured a draw in the Europa League AGAINST Man Utd.
He told the press: “The best thing I have to do is – when I leave Fenerbahce – I go to a club that doesn’t play Uefacompetitions.
“So if any club in England, from the bottom of the table, needs coach in two years – I am ready to go.
Fans across the English game this window have jumped on the bandwagon, with Leeds, West Ham, Wolves and Utd fans all linking themselves to the manager through the video on social media.
One United fan succinctly commented on the post: “So Mourinho is going back to Man Utd, innit?”
Fans are split on the Portuguese, who already spent two years at the helm at Old Trafford between 2016-18, but at least some of the Red Devils faithful would be open to the move.
Speaking on the players, one X user commented: “None of them can manage the pressure and the culture of winning. We just need Jose Mourinho back.”
Fans of other clubs have also been circling around the old clip as it circulates on X.
One Leeds fan commented:” “I don’t care if he got us relegated, this needs to happen.”
A Hammers fan added: “Feel like Mourinho and West Ham would be pure entertainment. Let it happen, fate.”
Crazy moment Jose Mourinho pinches Galatasaray manager’s NOSE before he falls to ground sparking chaos
Man Utd ratings v Grimsby
MANCHESTER UNITED are at rock bottom after the biggest cup upset saw the club crash out of the Carabao Cup second-round to League Two Grimsby Town on penalties.
Ruben Amorim’s United lost to a four-tier side for the first time ever.
The home fans sang “you’re getting sacked in the morning” to Amorim throughout and you can’t help but wonder if they’re right.
AC Milan have agreed a £36m deal – including add-ons – to sign Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku as the Blues close on a deal for Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho.
Nkunku, 27, is expected to accept a pay cut in order to join the Italian side on a five-year contract and has been given permission to travel for a medical.
The Blues have also included a sell-on clause as part of the deal, which will end Nkunku’s two-year stay at Stamford Bridge.
The move will have wider implications for Chelsea, with negotiations advancing to sign Garnacho.
The Argentina international, 21, has not played for United this season and is one of several players at the club who has been training away from the main group.
No fee has yet been agreed between the two clubs but BBC Sport has been told by sources that a deal is close.
CHELSEA outcast Christopher Nkunku is set to fly to Italy tonight to tie up a £38m move to AC Milan.
Nkunku seemed poised to join Bayern Munich on loan as the Blues struggled to find clubs willing to pay the asking price for the France international.
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Christopher Nkunku is flying to Italy to finalise a £38million AC Milan moveCredit: Getty
But things moved fast when Milan turned their previous interest into a concrete bid.
And Nkunku’s impending move should accelerate Chelsea’s pursuit of Alejandro Garnacho and Xavi Simons.
It is understood that Milan will pay a guaranteed sum of between £33m and £34m for Nkunku, with the rest of the total fee relying on performance.
That would represent a break even for the Blues on the Frenchman, who was signed for £56m two years ago and so is currently worth about £35m on the club’s books.
Nevertheless the Nkunku transfer would be another coup for Chelsea’s recruitment team, perhaps the biggest in a summer that has already seen them agree incoming and outgoing deals worth HALF A BILLION pounds.
In fact, the £38m for Nkunku would put the Blues into profit – albeit temporarily before they decide whether to meet RB Leipzig’s £60m asking price for Simons and the £50m Manchester United say they want for Garnacho.
The Frenchman arrived from Leipzig with a big reputation but was seriously injured in pre-season.
His Chelsea career never got going, although he did contribute five goals in the Conference League campaign that ended with the Blues lifting the trophy last season.
Nkunku, unlike other players who were out of Enzo Maresca’s first-team plans, did also travel to the USA for the Club World Cup and scored once in six appearances.
But he and Nicolas Jackson were left out of the Chelsea squad for the first two Premier League matches of the season as the club tried to offload them.
As SunSport revealed, the Blues’ activity in this transfer window will enable them to meet both Premier League financial rules and the terms of their Uefa punishment.
By balancing the big-money arrivals of players like Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens with successful sales of Noni Madueke and now Nkunku, they have revamped Maresca’s squad without putting themselves in danger of further penalties.
TRANSFER Deadline Day is fast approaching as clubs look to finalise their summer business before the September 1 deadline!
Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho, according to reports.
Meanwhile, Tottenham have reportedly been dealt a huge blow in their pursuit of Manchester City winger Savinho, with the Brazilian expected to stay at the Etihad.
Elsewhere, Alexander Isak has reportedly told Newcastle that he still wants to join Liverpool after talks with the Toon’s Saudi owners.
Borussia Dortmund have signed England youth international Carney Chukwuemeka from Chelsea on a five-year contract.
The 21-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at the German club and joins in a deal that could be worth about £24m.
The attacking midfielder made 32 appearances for Chelsea after a £20m move from Aston Villa in 2022.
Blues defender Aaron Anselmino has also agreed to join Dortmund, on a season-long loan, and has flown to Germany to complete the deal.
The Chukwuemeka transfer means Chelsea’s income from player sales this summer is more than £270m, almost balancing out the £277m spent on incoming transfers.
