The once-white-hot Chicago Cubs have been playing rather docile baseball as of late—they entered Thursday just 5-5 in their last 10 games.

However, they received some good news as a crucial piece of their collective puzzle returned Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs activated pitcher Shota Imanaga from the 15-day injured list and watched him pitch five shutout innings against the Cardinals.

Imanaga, 31, had been out since May 4 with a left hamstring strain. He is 3-2 on the season with a 2.83 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings.

To make room for Imanaga, Chicago designated pitcher Michael Fulmer for assignment. The 32-year-old has bounced around the big leagues since an excellent mid-2010s debut that saw him win the American League's Rookie of the Year award in 2016. He was named an All-Star with the Detroit Tigers in 2017.

The Cubs are currently 47-33; they lead the Milwaukee Brewers by 2.5 games in the National League Central Division.

The MLB trade deadline is nearly upon us.

As the clock ticks down to the 6 p.m. ET deadline on Thursday, there are a number of storylines to follow as contending teams attempt to beef up their rosters for the stretch run. What follows is an updated look at all the latest news, rumors, and trades before the deadline passes.

Camilo Doval Heads East as Yankees Add Bullpen Piece

The Yankees didn't make a huge splash at the deadline, but added another key piece before the trade deadline passed. New York acquired Camilo Doval from the San Francisco Giants before the clock ticked down to 6 p.m. ET. The 28-year-old righty has 107 career saves, and this season is 4-2 with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts against 24 walks in 46 2/3 innings. He also has 15 saves in 19 chances. Doval will be under team control through 2027.

Tigers Add Charlie Morton Before Deadline

The Detroit Tigers had been looking for a starting pitcher for weeks and managed to land one right before the deadline. They acquired Charlie Morton from the Baltimore Orioles a few minutes before the deadline passed. The 41-year-old impending free agent has had an up -and-down season and is 7-8 with a 5.42 ERA, a 1.56 WHIP, and 101 strikeouts against 48 walks in 101 1/3 innings. That said, Morton has extensive postseason experience and two World Series rings.

Red Sox Get Dustin May to Bolster Rotation

The Boston Red Sox made a significant move without much time on the clock before the trade deadline on Thursday. They acquired starting pitcher Dustin May from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for James Tibbs III, who the team received from the San Francisco Giants in the Rafael Devers deal. Got all of that?

May has had Tommy John surgery twice since 2021 and missed the 2024 campaign after undergoing surgery to repair an esophageal tear. This season, he has made 19 appearances (18 starts) and is 6-7 with a 4.85 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts in 104 innings. He has elite stuff, but hasn't put it all back together after missing so much time. Before the 2025 season, he had pitched in 20 games in the previous four seasons.

Rays Land Griffin Jax, Adrian Houser With Minutes to Spare

The Tampa Bay Rays made their presence known before the deadline, landing reliever Griffin Jax from the Minnesota Twins and starter Adrian Houser from the Chicago White Sox. Jax is 1-5 with a 4.50 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts against 13 walks in 46 innings over 50 appearances. His xERA of 3.11 shows he's been a bit unlucky this season and he has stellar chase and whiff rates.

Houser has been a great story and has turned in a dominant campaign while transitioning back to being a starter. In 11 starts, he's 6-2 with a 2.10 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts against 22 walks in 68 2/3 innings.

Rangers Get Merrill Kelly in Late Deal With Diamonbacks

The Texas Rangers just upgraded their rotation in a big way. Texas swung a late deal to acquire Merrill Kelly from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Pitchers Kohl Drake and David Hagaman are part of the return for the veteran righty.

In 22 starts this season, Kelly is 9-6 with a 3.22 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts against 38 walks in 128 2/3 innings. He'll almost certainly slot in behind Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi to give Texas a formiddable three-headed monster atop its rotation.

Astros Land Correa, Sanchez in Continued Push

The Houston Astros pulled off a wild move just before the deadline, bringing Carlos Correa back to town. Correa helped lead the Astros to a World Series title in 2017 but has spent the last four seasons in Minnesota with the Twins. This season he's slashing .267/.319/.386 with seven home runs and 31 RBIs. It's not his best season but heading back to Houston could help. It will be a long-term return as he'll be under contract through at least 2028.

Sanchez was having a solid season with the Marlins, slashing .256/.320/.420 with 10 home runs and 36 RBIs. The 27-year-old will be under team control for two more seasons.

Padres Land O'Hearn, Laureano From Orioles

Padres general manager A.J. Preller can't stop, won't stop. After two significant deals already, he added two bats to his lineup shortly before the deadline. San Diego is acquiring outfielder Ramon Laureano and first baseman Ryan O'Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles. Left field has been a huge issue for the Padres, and Laureano will be a massive upgrade. Meanwhile, O'Hearn's spot will depend on what happens to the rest of the roster. The Padres currently have Luis Arraez at first and Gavin Sheets rotating between DH and left field.

Mets Fill CF Vacancy With Cedric Mullins

The Mets continue to address their needs by acting aggressively. Hours before the MLB trade deadline, they added Cedric Mullins from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for three prospects. Mullins is a pure rental but is a former All-Star who desperately needed a change of scenery. So far in 2025, Mullins is slashing .229/.305/.433 with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs. The Mets have gotten near nothing in offensive production out of their center fielder this season so this is a significant upgrade.

Padres Pay Heavily for a Catcher

The San Diego Padres have needed help at catcher all season and may have found some before the deadline. The Friars landed 30-year-old backup Freddy Fermin from the Kansas City Royals but paid heavily to land him. San Diego sent starting pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek in exchange for Fermin.

In 67 games this season, Fermin is slashing .255/.309/.399 with three home runs and 12 RBIs. He'll be under team control through 2029. The 25-year-old Berger debuted this season and is 1-0 with a 2.78 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP in 11 appearances (seven starts). Kolek was stretched into a starting pitcher this season and has been excellent at times. The 28-year-old is 4-5 with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP.

Yankees Land Bednar From Pirates

The Yankees added to their bullpen by acquiring All-Star closer David Bednar from the Pittsburgh Pirates. New York's bullpen has been struggling lately, and Bednar is having a nice bounce-back season. The 30-year-old is 2-5 with a 2.37 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and 51 strikeouts against 10 walks in 38 innings over 42 appearances. He has 17 saves in 17 chances. His average fastball velocity (97.1 mph) and strikeout rate (33.1) are outstanding.

Dodgers Bolster Bullpen With Stewart

The Los Angeles Dodgers made their first major move of this year's trade deadline by adding a bullpen arm. L.A. acquired Brock Stewart from the Minnesota Twins, who are fully open for business at this point. Bullpen was arguably the Dodgers' biggest need, and Stewart should help in that regard. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 2.38 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts in 34 innings this season.

The 33-year-old Stewart began his career with the Dodgers and pitched for the team from 2016 though '19.

Phillies Add Harrison Bader in Deal With Twins

The Philadelphia Phillies continued filling out their roster on Thursday by acquiring outfielder Harrison Bader from the Minnesota Twins just hours before the deadline. This season, Bader is slashing .258/.339/.439, with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs. The veteran outfielder's 117 wRC+ is the highest of his career. He'll likely form a platoon with left-handed hitters Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh. The former Gold Glove winner holds a $10 million mutual option for 2026 that most expect him to decline after what is becoming a career year.

Padres Acquire Mason Miller and JP Spears in Blockbuster With Athletics

The Padres entered the July 31 trade deadline with a 60-49 record on the season, and in firm buying mode sitting just three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. San Diego worked to shore up the back-end of the bullpen, as well as depth in the starting rotation by trading for Athletics closer Mason Miller and starter JP Sears. The price to acquire the two pitchers for the homestretch came at the cost of the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball – shortstop Leodalis De Vries, as well as pitchers Braden Nett, Henry Baez and Eduarniel Nunez.

Blue Jays Land Former Cy Young Winner Shane Bieber in Trade With Guardians

The Toronto Blue Jays are the best team in baseball, and they filled a hole in their playoff rotation with the addition of former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber in a Thursday morning trade with the Cleveland Guardians. Bieber has yet to make his season debut after 2024 Tommy John surgery, but has shown well in his rehab starts thus far. In return, the Guardians landed pitching prospect Khal Stephen in return in the one-to-one swap.

Mariners Stun Baseball World With Trade For Eugenio Suarez

One of MLB's biggest trade targets has officially been dealt ahead of the deadline. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Arizona Diamondbacks have traded third baseman Eugenio Suarez to the Seattle Mariners. Suarez, a two-time All-Star is slashing .248/.321/.577 with 36 home runs and 87 RBIs.

The Mariners needed big upgrades at the corners and got them, both from the Diamondbacks. They landed Josh Naylor on July 24, and Suarez the night before the deadline.

Red Sox Acquire RP Steven Matz From Cardinals

The Boston Red Sox are on the board. After dealing with some slight attrition in the bullpen with an injury to Aroldis Chapman, Boston has acquired relief pitcher Steven Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals. The trade was first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Matz began his career with the New York Mets in 2015 before stints with the Toronto Blue Jays ('21) and, most recently, the Cardinals ('22-25). The 34-year-old is 5-2 this season in 32 appearances with a 3.44 ERA, 47 strikeouts, and two saves.

The Red Sox are sending minor leaguer Blaze Jordan to St. Louis in return.

Ramon Urias Heads to Astros

The Baltimore Orioles seem to be selling despite winning five of their last six, sending Ramon Urias to the Houston Astros according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Urias, 31, is slashing .248/.300/.388 this season with eight home runs and 34 RBIs, while also holding a .984 fielding percentage while committing just three errors.

Reds Land Zack Littell in Deal With Rays

The Cincinnati Reds continued to buy on Wednesday night. They worked a trade to land righty Zack Littell from the Tampa Bay Rays. Littell has been solid this season. In 21 starts, he's 8-8 with a 3.72 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 85 strikeouts against 17 walks in 128 1/3 innings. The 29-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the season.

The Reds currently rank 12th as a team in baseball with a 3.85 ERA, and their starters are 10th at 3.86. Adding Littell will help the rotation's depth.

Cubs Bolster Rotation in Trade for Soroka

The Chicago Cubs acquired Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals Wednesday night in a move to bolster their starting rotation. Soroka, a former All-Star who missed most of three seasons following multiple tears to his right Achilles tendon, has struggled to regain his form over the past few years. This season, he has made 16 starts and is 3-8 with a 4.87 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 87 strikeouts against 24 walks in 81 1/3 innings. On the upside, his expected ERA is 3.32, which means he has gotten pretty unlucky.

With Justin Steele out for the season following Tommy John surgery, the Cubs have needed more depth in their rotation. They may have found it in Soroka.

Padres Pursuing Multiple All-Stars

According to a report from The Athletic's Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal, the San Diego Padres are looking to swing big at the deadline and have several big names targeted. The Padres are pursuing outfielders Jarren Duran and Steven Kwan, as well as closer Mason Miller.

The Boston Red Sox have been unwilling to part with Duran so far, and the Cleveland Guardians have let it be known that it would take a haul for them to part with Kwan. The Oakland A's have not been shopping Miller, but given the franchise's situation it would be foolish not to listen.

A.J. Preller is never shy when it comes to big swings at the trade deadline, and this could be yet another year he goes all-in.

Eugenio Suarez Still Being Chased by Multiple Teams

The Athletic's Jon Morosi is reporting multiple teams are still going hard after Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez as the trade deadline approaches. Arguably the most coveted bat on the market, Suarez is still drawing interest from the Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, and Detroit Tigers, among others. The Cubs, in particular, need an upgrade at the position, as entering Wednesday, they had a team OPS of .575 at third base this year.

Suarez will almost certainly move before the trade deadline but where he will go is still a mystery with less than 24 hours to go.

Mets Acquire Ryan Helsley From Cardinals

Just after the Phillies landed Jhoan Duran, the Mets made another move for a reliever. They landed St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley in a blockbuster deal. The 2024 NL Reliever of the Year and two-time All-Star is headed for free agency after the season, so the Cardinals did what they could to get something back for him. On the season, Helsley is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA, a 1.39 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched. He has 21 saves in 26 chances. He is likely to be the setup man for Edwin Diaz.

In exchange for Helsley, the Cardinals will acquire prospects Jesus Baez, Nate Dohm, and Frank Elissalt.

Helsley is the second reliever the Mets have added in the past few hours, as they landed Tyler Rogers from the Giants earlier in the day.

Phillies Trade for Jhoan Duran in Major Upgrade

The Phillies won the race for Jhoan Duran, as they beat out the Dodgers and other suitors in the battle for the best relief arm available at the deadline. Philadelphia's relievers own the 23rd-ranked ERA in baseball (4.33), and they don't have a go-to closer. That problem is now in the past.

In exchange for Duran, the Twins landed the Phillies' No. 4 and No. 6 prospects, catcher Eduardo Tait and righty Mick Abel.

Mariners Beef Up Relief Corps

The Mariners landed lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson from the Pirates on Wednesday. As Pittsburgh continues to sell, Seattle took advantage. The 29-year-old is 2-2 on the season with a 3.74 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 34 strikeouts against 14 walks in 43 1/3 innings. Ferguson is having an excellent season as he's allowing very little hard contact. His average exit velocity (83.5), and hard-hit rate (25.2) are among the lowest in baseball.

In return for Ferguson, the Pirates will receive right-hander Jeter Martinez (great early 2000s baseball name). Martinez is a 19-year-old starter currently in A-ball, and is listed as Seattle's No. 13 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Mets Surrender a Ton in Tyler Rogers Trade

The New York Mets landed right-handed reliever Tyler Rogers from the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, but it cost them a significant price. They sent righty Jose Butto, righty pitching prospect Blade Tidwell, and outfield prospect Drew Gilbert to land the 34-year-old veteran.

Rogers has been excellent for the Giants this season. In 53 games, he is 4-3 with a 1.80 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts and only four walks in 50 innings. He has allowed just 10 earned runs this season.

Astros Pursuing Cease

The San Diego Padres are open to moving starting pitcher Dylan Cease, and one team has been hot on his heels. The Houston Astros are chasing Cease and appear increasingly likely to land him. Cease has struggled this season, but he has elite stuff that belies his 3-10 record and 4.79 ERA. There is faith that the impending free agent can turn it around, especially given his xFIP of 3.39.

We'll see if a deal eventually comes together.

Eugenio Suarez Sweepstakes Heating Up

Eugenio Suarez remains the most popular hitter at the deadline, with four teams currently chasing him. The Arizona Diamondbacks are actively shopping the impending free agent and will do what they can to maximize the return. The Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies are all chasing Suarez hard as we head toward the deadline. It's worth noting, Seattle and Arizona already completed a swap for Josh Naylor.

The 34-year-old third baseman has been one of baseball's best sluggers this season. He's currently slashing .248/.320/.576 with 36 home runs and 87 RBIs. Suarez was hit on the hand by a pitch Monday night but appears to have escaped serious injury.

Jhoan Duran Chased by Two NL Contenders

The Minnesota Twins appear likely to move closer Jhoan Duran before the deadline, and two teams have separated themselves in the chase for his services. According to 's Bob Nightengale, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies are in active talks to land him. To this point, the Phillies have refused to include top pitching prospect Andrew Painter in an offer.

The 27-year-old Duran is 6–4 with a 2.01 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings. He has saved 16 games in 18 opportunities and is under team control through 2027.

Reds Land Ke'Bryan Hayes From Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in full sell mode, and on Wednesday, they shipped third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds for two prospects. Hayes is one of the best defensive players in baseball and is signed affordably through 2029, with a club option for '30 as part of an eight-year, $70 million deal he agreed to in '22. So far this season, he's slashing .236/.279/.290 with a woeful wRC+ of 57 in 100 games.

The Pirates received shortstop Sammy Stafura, who ranked as the No. 9 prospect in Cincinnati's system, as well as veteran reliever Taylor Rogers.

Leeds United have now shown they can compete with the big boys in the Premier League, but can they pick up results against the sides nearer to them in the overall division?

Up next for Daniel Farke’s reinvigorated Whites, after facing off against Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool in quickfire succession, is Brentford away, who are only four points better off than the West Yorkshire outfit, sat in 14th spot.

After that, more tough ties flood the calendar for the relegation-threatened side against Crystal Palace and Sunderland, before Arne Slot’s Reds do battle with Farke’s men back at Anfield to see in the New Year.

It will be more obvious by that point in time whether Leeds can go the distance in their survival aims, as plenty of new signings also begin to be linked with a switch to Elland Road, in preparation for the bumper January transfer window swinging open.

Leeds transfer latest

The Premier League newcomers have splashed the cash in January before, having once splurged a club-record £35.5m on Georginio Rutter back in 2022.

The same over-the-top spending is unlikely to be on the menu this time around, but Farke and Co. have been linked with a move for Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, who continues to impress in Scotland.

Barcelona’s Roony Bardhji has also reportedly caught the eye, but the most tantalising rumour of them all now has them linked with Chelsea reserve talent Tyrique George, according to a fresh report from TEAMTalk.

Sources have allegedly revealed to the site that George is adamant about a permanent move away from Stamford Bridge, amid concerns about his lack of first-team opportunities.

That has generated interest in his services from the likes of Fulham, Everton and Leeds, with the Whites said to be monitoring the exciting Englishman, as they seek out depth in the attacking areas this January.

With goals such as this one put away in the Champions League earlier in the season, George should be able to come into Farke’s camp and stamp his authority, as another discarded Chelsea youngster potentially comes into his own at Elland Road, much like Ethan Ampadu.

Why George can be the next Ampadu

Ampadu would only go on to make 12 unmemorable senior appearances for the Blues before moving on from West London.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

George, at the time of writing, sits on a far heftier 36, but he will still be itching for more consistent senior minutes.

The Welshman would, ultimately, never look back after swapping Stamford Bridge for Elland Road in the summer of 2023, with Ampadu now a Championship-winning midfield star under Farke.

He even had the last laugh against his ex-employers at the start of the month, when his six duels and two tackles won, as per Sofascore, gave Leeds some much-needed grit in the 3-1 victory over Enzo Maresca’s challengers.

George will look at Ampadu’s sharp rise from reserve fodder at Chelsea to leading star at Leeds with an eagerness to follow in his footsteps, with clear bursts of quality in the Blues’ first team picture, already, standing the 19-year-old in good stead to make waves in Farke’s main team, if a move is sealed.

Indeed, analyst Ben Mattinson dubbed the London-born winger “explosive” last summer when he was starting to make strides, while scout Jacek Kulig has also noted George as being “special” when chipping in with goal contributions in the FA Cup, Premier League and Conference League for Maresca’s men.

Games played

36

Minutes played

1601 mins

Goals scored

6

Assists

6

Still, despite having 12 goal contributions next to his name in the senior side in West London, George has been restricted to just four Premier League appearances so far this season, with Leeds perhaps the location that can finally hand him the minutes he longs for.

With one goal and one assist in the top-flight from just one start, George would surely be a worthy back-up option at the very least for Leeds.

But, in time, everything looks in place for George to become a dependable first-team presence under the German, with Ampadu’s patience in the reserve ranks at Chelsea, ultimately rewarded by breaking out in style at Elland Road.

Shades of Klich & Dallas: Farke's Leeds "monster" must now start every week

This Leeds star has become a key man in midfield

ByJoe Nuttall 5 days ago

Arsenal suffered a devastating 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime, surrendering their five-point lead atop the Premier League table in dramatic fashion.

Emiliano Buendia’s stoppage-time winner completed a remarkable comeback for Unai Emery’s side, dealing a significant blow to the Gunners’ title aspirations.

Matty Cash gave Villa a deserved first-half lead with a thunderous finish at the back post in the 36th minute, capitalizing on Arsenal’s struggles to contain the hosts’ energetic pressing.

The right-back’s half-volley from a deflected cross caught David Raya off guard, sending Villa Park into raptures and rewarding the home side’s dominant opening period.

Mikel Arteta responded decisively at the interval, introducing Leandro Trossard and Viktor Gyokeres for the ineffective Eberechi Eze and Mikel Merino.

Aston Villa now want to tempt Chelsea summer signing with surprise January move

It would be a head turner.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 5, 2025

The Belgian substitute made an immediate impact just seven minutes into the second half, converting a rebound after Emiliano Martínez could only parry Bukayo Saka’s initial effort. Trossard’s poacher’s instinct at the back post hauled Arsenal level and appeared to shift momentum decisively in the visitors’ favour.

Arsenal dominated possession throughout the second period, creating numerous opportunities to snatch victory. Noni Madueke struck the side netting late on when well-positioned, while Declan Rice orchestrated attacks from deep despite struggling with the calf complaint that troubled him against Brentford midweek.

However, Villa refused to surrender tamely.

Emery’s tactical substitution proved inspired as Buendia replaced Matty Cash in the 85th minute, pushing the hosts into a more aggressive attacking shape with Lamare Bogarde dropping to right-back.

The Argentinian playmaker delivered the decisive intervention deep into stoppage time, reacting quickest to a loose ball inside Arsenal’s penalty area and firing home to secure all three points.

The defeat represents Arsenal’s second loss of the campaign and ends their 18-match unbeaten run across all competitions. More significantly, it allows Man City the opportunity to reduce the gap at the summit to just two points, should they defeat Sunderland later today.

Emiliano Martínez

7.8

Declan Rice

7.7

Matty Cash

7.5

Boubacar Kamara

7.5

Martin Odegaard

7.2

via WhoScored

For Villa, the victory extends their remarkable home form to just one defeat in their last 25 league matches at Villa Park, maintaining their challenge for Champions League qualification while sitting third in the table.

It also begs the question, are Emery’s men now genuine title contenders?

Stuart Pearce says Youri Tielemans stole the show against Arsenal

With that debate now set to rumble on, former England defender Stuart Pearce has picked out one Villa star to thank for an absolutely incredible afternoon for Emery in the Midlands.

Commenting on the game for talkSPORT, Pearce named his Player of the Match — £150,000-per-week midfielder Youri Tielemans.

The Belgian international apparently stole the show against Arsenal, with Pearce calling his display in the engine room ‘outstanding’.

Tielemans, who is out of contract in 2027, has just made a firm case to the Villa hierarchy when it comes to his long-term future.

The 28-year-old returned to full fitness fairly recently after missing six league games with a calf problem and was left out of the starting eleven for Villa’s thrilling 4-3 win at Brighton.

Emery’s decision to start Tielemans today was a masterful decision, and that performance will give the player huge confidence ahead of Villa’s trips to FC Basel and West Ham.

If Chelsea’s draw against Arsenal showed them at their best, the last week of results has shown them at their worst.

Enzo Maresca’s side were just six points off the Premier League leaders after their match against them, but a defeat away to Leeds United and a draw away to Bournemouth now sees them eight points adrift and in fifth place.

It’s been a frustrating week for the Blues and one that has shown that, for all their talent, they are still vulnerable and have more than a few week links.

In fact, one of those weak links could be Chelsea’s biggest liability since Tiémoué Bakayoko.

Tiémoué Bakayoko's Chelsea career

In the 16/17 season, AS Moncao shocked the world by mounting a surprising and successful title charge, their first to end in glory for well over a decade.

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That side was full of incredible players who’d go on to have glittering careers, like Kylian Mbappé, Bernardo Silva and Fabinho.

However, instead of signing any of them, Chelsea opted to splash north of £40m on Bakayoko, who, to be fair to the club, did look like a star in the making at the time.

Unfortunately, once he arrived in England, it was clear that he was anything but.

The Frenchman made 43 appearances across the 17/18 season, but very rarely, if ever, looked convincing, be that in possession or out of it.

The midfielder’s most notable performance in Blue just so happened to also be his worst, when, against Watford in February 2018, he was sent off just 30 minutes into the game.

In all, while he was once a hugely promising midfielder, Bakayoko is now known as a flop in England.

Following a slew of loans, he joined Lorient in 2023 before moving to PAOK last summer, and is now without a club at just 31 years old.

Unfortunately for Maresca, he might now have Chelsea’s biggest liability since the Frenchman in his current squad.

Chelsea's biggest liability since Bakayoko

Now, there are a few players Chelsea need to sell as soon as possible, but if you were to ask fans who in the first team needs to go first, most would likely land on Tosin Adarabioyo.

The Blues signed the Englishman for free after his contract with Fulham expired last summer, and while he has been a useful stand-in at times, it has become increasingly clear this season that he’s a problem.

For example, in the last five games he has started, the West Londoners have conceded 11 goals and won just two, drawing one and losing the other two.

Moreover, while the entire backline should be held to account for some of those goals, the 28-year-old has made some high-profile and almost comical mistakes.

Against Leeds United, for example, Dominic Calvert-Lewin only scored his goal because the Englishman lost control of the ball within the Blues’ penalty area.

It was a mistake Chelsea fan and content creator Tom Overend branded “utterly embarrassing”, and while that might sound harsh, it’s hard to dispute.

Tosin vs Leeds

Minutes

96′

Tackles

1

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (1)

Fouls

2

Errors Leading to a Goal

1

Touches

121

Shots

1

Key Passes

0

Expected G+As

0.07

All Stats via Sofascore

It’s not just the eye-test where the defender fails, either: according to FBref, he ranks in the top 43% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles won and in the bottom 4% of dribblers tackled, all per 90.

In other words, he’s not proactive enough at the back, and even when he is, he isn’t very effective.

Ultimately, it’s clear that Tosin is not good enough to play for Chelsea, and therefore, the club should look to move him on as soon as possible, for everyone’s sake.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Dec 8, 2025

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy lost for the second time in as many matches since arriving at Parkhead with a 3-0 defeat at home to Roma in the Europa League on Thursday night.

The Hoops boss lost 2-1 to Hearts in his first match in the dugout, but was unable to get a reaction out of his players for this clash with the Italian giants.

Celtic found themselves 3-0 down at half-time, as Roma ran riot, but they missed the chance to give themselves a lifeline for the second 45 when Arne Engels hit the post from the penalty spot.

The Belgian star hit the penalty sweetly, aiming for the bottom left corner, but his effort came crashing off the post, which meant that the Hoops were 3-0 down at the break.

Why Arne Engels deserves to keep his place in the team

Engels may be an easy target for criticism because of his penalty miss, which is understandable after a 3-0 loss, but there were also some positive elements to his performance to go along with his struggles.

On the one hand, the Belgium international lost six of his eight duels on the ground, per Sofascore, which shows that he was a bit too weak in his physical battles with the Roma midfielders.

On the other hand, though, the former Augsburg star made a lot of impressive runs down the right channel on the overlap and came close to creating chances a couple of times before he should have had an assist for Kelechi Iheanacho, who scored from his ball across the box but had just strayed offside.

As well as what should have been an assist for Kelechi, Engels created one ‘big chance’ in the match, per Sofascore, and showed that he has the creative quality to make things happen in this new system.

A player who has not had as much success in Nancy’s 3-4-2-1 system is Sebastian Tounekti, who should be dropped for the League Cup final against St Mirren on Sunday.

Why Sebastian Tounekti should be dropped

The Tunisia international has largely played as a left winger for the Scottish giants since his move from Hammarby in the summer transfer window, but he has had to take on a new role under the French boss.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

After playing as a left-winger in a 4-3-3 for Brendan Rodgers and in a 4-2-3-1 for Martin O’Neill, Tounekti has had to play as a left wing-back for Nancy, in a role that does not appear to suit him.

In this wing-back role, the 23-year-old has more defensive responsibility, as he has to track back to sometimes drop into a back five out of possession, and it sometimes leaves him without much support in wide areas, which can leave him in situations on his own against two or three defenders.

As a natural winger, the defensive side of the game has caught Tounekti out. Per Sofascore, the Tunisian whiz lost four of his five physical duels and failed to make a single tackle or interception against Roma.

On top of his defensive troubles, the wing-back did not register a shot on target and did not create any ‘big chances’ for the team against the Italian side in 90 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore.

Minutes

59

90

Key passes

1

2

Accurate crosses

0

0

Shots on target

0

0

Possession lost

14x

15x

Dribbles completed

0/4

1/1

Duels won

5/12

1/5

As you can see in the table above, Tounekti has lost the ball 29 times in two games without deliver a goal or an assist in his first two matches as a wing-back.

He has also lost the majority of his duels across both games, after losing seven out of 12 against Hearts, which shows that he does not have the physicality or defensive awareness to be effective in that role, at least without more training and understanding of the position.

Because of how awful Tounekti has been in his first two games in the position, Nancy must ruthlessly drop him from the starting line-up for the clash with St Mirren on Sunday, given that it is a cup final and the Hoops need reliable options across the pitch.

Moving Kieran Tierney, a natural wing-back, forward and bringing another defender, like Colby Donovan, to play in the back three could be a sensible move to make after Celtic conceded five goals in their first two games with this new system.

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علق حسام البدري المدير الفني لفريق أهلي طرابس، على التتويج بلقب كأس ليبيا بعد الفوز على نظيره أهلي بنغازي بثلاثة أهداف دون مقابل، في المباراة النهائية التي أُقيمت مساء اليوم الخميس على ستاد القاهرة.

وتمكن حسام البدري من قيادة فريقه لتحقيق الثنائية هذا الموسم بعد الفوز سابقًا بلقب الدوري الليبي الممتاز.

طالع|بقيادة حسام البدري.. الأهلي طرابلس يفوز على أهلي بنغازي ويتوج بكأس ليبيا

وقال حسام البدري في تصريحات لبرنامج الناظر مع أحمد شوبير على قناة النهار: “فوزنا بكأس ليبيا مكسب كبير جدًا لجماهير أهلي طرابلس، هذا يمثل لي شيء كبير جدًا وإضافة لتاريخي”.

وتابع: “أنا أكثر مدرب مصري حقق بطولات في تاريخ البطولات المصرية سواء محلية أو خارجية مع المريخ أو أهلي طرابلس، أي فوز يعتبر انتصارا شخصيًا لي، ومستمر مع أهلي طرابلس الليبي في الموسم الجديد”.

وأضاف: “منتخب مصر بقيادة حلمي طولان تم تكوينه بشكل سريع جدًا ولم يأخذ وقتا كافيا، لا نريد أن نظلمهم يقدروا يوصلوا لخطوة جيدة في بطولة كأس العرب، وأعتقد منتخب المغرب هو الأقرب للتتويج بالبطولة”.

واختتم: “فضل النادي الأهلي كبير علي جدًا، في كل وقت ولحظة اتمنى أكون في خدمة الأهلي، حب وعشق الأهلي لا يقاس بأي شيء، دائمًا وفكري وقلبي مع الأهلي”.

Liverpool’s disastrous run in the Premier League this season has shown no signs of coming to an end in recent weeks, with the showing against Sunderland once again highlighting their frailties.

Arne Slot’s men were only able to secure a point against the newly promoted outfit at Anfield, something which would have been a crazy statement during the title-winning season.

The drop-off has been astronomical from this time last season, with the Reds now already sitting 11 points off the summit despite playing just 14 league matches.

Wednesday’s clash against the Black Cats further showcased the creative struggles within Slot’s side, with Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort just one of four shots on target during the 90-minute display.

The performances of numerous Reds players no doubt contributed to the failure to secure all three points on Merseyside for the third straight home league outing.

Liverpool’s poor performers against Sunderland

During Wednesday’s draw with the Black Cats, winger Cody Gakpo had yet another performance to forget, with his lack of impact resulting in a half-time withdrawal.

The Dutchman only managed to complete a total of seven passes against Regis Le Bris’ men, with none of his being made into the final third – subsequently highlighting his lack of creativity in attacking areas.

The 26-year-old was also only able to register a singular effort on goal, but it didn’t trouble the opposition goalkeeper – with his substitution at the break certainly warranted.

Joe Gomez was once again asked to operate in an unnatural right-back role due to the injuries to Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, but he was massively dominated by the visitors prior to his substitution.

The Englishman entered nine duels during his 65-minute showing, but only managed to come out on top in one of them, resulting in a measly 11% success rate.

He also got dribbled past twice whilst also only completing 20% of the crosses he attempted, highlighting how lacklustre at both ends of the pitch on Merseyside.

Liverpool star is becoming a big problem

The decline of Liverpool in 2025/26 is certainly something to behold, especially after winning the Premier League title under Slot not even seven months ago.

After securing the club’s Premier League title, the Dutchman spent £440m within the transfer market during the summer, but numerous of the big-money additions have so far failed to deliver.

Wirtz’s effort eventually went down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal, which has extended his goalless run, with the German now without a goal in any of his 13 league outings this campaign.

Milos Kerkez has struggled to dislodge Andy Robertson from the starting left-back role, while Frimpong has struggled with injuries and has subsequently been restricted to just four league outings.

Alexander Isak was the most expensive of the summer arrivals, as the Swedish international joined the club in an English-record £125m transfer from Newcastle United.

He no doubt arrived at Anfield with high expectations given such a transfer fee, but also due to his goal tally, which saw him net 23 league goals last campaign.

The striker’s spell on Merseyside to date has been nothing short of a disaster, with the 26-year-old scoring his first league goal at West Ham United last weekend at the sixth time of asking.

As a result, Isak was handed another start against Sunderland last night, but he was once again unable to deliver despite the faith shown in him by the manager.

He featured for 86 minutes of the contest, but could only complete a measly tally of two passes, whilst also losing possession of the ball on three separate occasions.

Alexander Isak – stats against Sunderland
Statistics	Tally
Minutes played	86
Touches	14
Passes completed	2
Possession lost	3x
Duels won	1
Shots on target	0
Touches in opposition box	2
Chances created	0
Stats via FotMob

The Swede was largely dominated by the opposition at Anfield, as shown by his duels won tally, with the forward winning just one out of a possible six battles that he entered.

He was once again unable to register a shot on target, whilst managing just two touches in the opposition box – subsequently unable to get on the scoresheet once again.

To top off his disappointing display, Isak only registered a total of 14 touches on Merseyside, a tally fewer than goalkeeper Alisson, who managed to notch a total of 34.

As a result of his showing against the Black Cats, the striker was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo, further showcasing his struggles after his big-money move.

After such a showing, there’s no doubt that Slot must drop the forward at the weekend, with Hugo Ekitiké needing the chance to start at the top end of the pitch again.

Just one goal in his first seven league games is nothing short of embarrassing, with the record addition desperately needing to find form to kickstart his Reds career.

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Sydney Sixers started 184 chase promisingly in the Challenger, but fell 11 short in the end

Andrew McGlashan11-Dec-2025

File photo: Beth Mooney scored 76 after being given a life on 9•Getty Images

Beth Mooney continued her outstanding form, and Alana King came to the fore with the ball, to lead Perth Scorchers into the WBBL final, where they will face Hobart Hurricanes on Saturday.Mooney’s 76, the second-highest score in WBBL finals, was the centrepiece of Scorchers’ total, which proved too much for Sydney Sixers. The home side lost Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy and Sophia Dunkley in quick succession, although were given some hope by a 53-run stand between Ash Gardner and Amelia Kerr.However, King produced a superb second over in the power surge, conceding just six runs and having Gardner taken at mid-off. King struck again to remove a dangerous Maitlan Brown, and finished with match-winning figures of 3 for 17 as 21 runs needed by Sixers from the last over gave Scorchers a cushion.It has been another impressive WBBL from Mooney, who had struck a century in the second match, and then made an unbeaten 94 to lead Scorchers into the finals. Against Sixers on Thursday, she was given a life on 9 when Healy missed a leg-side stumping, and made Sixers pay despite at times not having a vast amount of the strike. At the end of the four-over powerplay, Mooney had faced only three deliveries.But once Katie Mack, who had also been dropped on 9, fell for a well-constructed 40, Mooney took charge. She launched Gardner for six, and then next ball moved to her fifty off 27 deliveries.As Mooney took consecutive boundaries off Kerr at the start of the 17th over, there was an outside chance of a remarkable century. But she fell lbw to Brown in the 19th over as part of a late stutter by Scorchers.When Paige Scholfield slog-swept Kerr for consecutive sixes, Scorchers looked set for an onslaught. But Kerr, who has struggled this season, gained some revenge when Scholfield fell to a top edge. Scorchers then lost 5 for 21 late in their innings.Sixers started promisingly in the chase as Perry and Dunkley, given a life on 15 when she skied King in the covers, added 58, although the asking rate was rising.Perry, who scored a magnificent century in the final regular-season game to book Sixers’ spot in the finals, chipped King to midwicket. Healy was then cleaned up by exciting young quick Chloe Ainsworth.After back-to-back ducks, Healy had at least managed to get off the mark, but couldn’t go any further in what has been a difficult season for her, which ends with 119 runs at 13.22.Gardner and Kerr started to rebuild, and they took the power surge with 75 runs needed from 36 balls. When the first over of it cost 16, a Sixers comeback appeared possible. King, though, ensured it was Scorchers’ night.

MatériaMais Notícias

Paysandu e Vila Nova se enfrentam nesta quarta-feira (22), pela partida de ida da final da Copa Verde. A bola rola às 20h (de Brasília), no Estádio da Curuzu, com transmissão da TV Cultura.

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✅FICHA TÉCNICA
Paysandu x Vila Nova
Copa Verde – Final – Ida

Data e horário: quarta-feira, 22 de maio de 2024, às 20h (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio da Curuzu,
Onde assistir: TV Cultura
Árbitro: Davi de Oliveira Lacerda
Assistentes: Eduardo Goncalves da Cruz e Adilson Gomes de Oliveira

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PAYSANDU (Técnico: Hélio dos Anjos)
Diogo Silva; Edilson, Luan Freitas (Carlão), Lucas Maia e Bryan Borges (Kevyn); Leandro Vilela, João Vieira e Juninho; Eslí Garcia, Jean Dias (Ruan Ribeiro) e Nicolas.

Vila Nova (Técnico: Márcio Fernandes)
Dênis Júnior; João Vitor, Anderson Conceição, Ruan Santos e Eric; Bruno Matias, João Lucas (Quintero) e Luciano Naninho; Juan Christian, Henrique Almeida e Alesson

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