Scott McTominay has urged Napoli boss Antonio Conte to pursue reported interest in Kobbie Mainoo next month. McTominay is one of a number of former Manchester United outcasts currently shining in Naples, with Rasmus Hojlund and Romelu Lukaku also impressing for the defending Serie A champions. The Scottish midfielder has been instrumental for the Italian side since joining last summer.

Getty Images SportMcTominay has thrived since leaving United

The 28-year-old was named Serie A MVP for his instrumental role in Napoli's title triumph under Conte last season. McTominay has taken to Italian football like a duck to water and he's not the only former Manchester United star that has caught the eye for Conte's side.

Lukaku, who spent two years with United, was also key for the Partenopei last season, scoring 14 goals and providing 10 assists as Napoli pipped Inter to the Scudetto. The Belgian is yet to play for Napoli this season, though this has presented Hojlund with the chance to shine in Italy after the Dane returned to Serie A on a season-long loan.

And McTominay believes that Napoli should pursue a move for Kobbie Mainoo in the New Year as Conte's side challenge for the title once more. Mainoo has struggled for game time this season, registering just 138 minutes of league action, while his only start came in the EFL Cup defeat to Grimsby back in August.

Advertisement'He would fit straight in'

Mainoo, who missed United's 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Saturday due to injury, had hoped to secure a summer move away from Old Trafford as he looked to garner regular minutes in a World Cup year. The youngster hasn't featured for England since coming on as a substitute against Ireland in the UEFA Nations League last September, however United's failure to bring in a midfielder, despite links with a move for Carlos Baleba, saw the club turn down the 20-year-old's request to leave earlier in the year.

United are expected to bring in a new midfielder in January, with Baleba, Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson among those on the club's radar, and a new body in the middle of the park would likely see Mainoo depart. And according to SunSport, a source close to McTominay has told Conte to sign Mainoo in the New Year.

"Scott has been to see Conte and told him to get Kobbie. He’s told him all about his strengths and what an outstanding player he is. He knows all about him from his time at United and thinks he would be a great addition to the squad, whether it’s on loan or a permanent deal.

"Kobbie has been brought up the right way at United having been in the academy since he was a little boy. He would fit straight in and give Napoli a boost."

AFPDe Bruyne injury may force Napoli's hand

Napoli signed one central midfielder from the Premier League over the summer as Kevin De Bruyne made the move to Italy after his departure from Manchester City. The experienced Belgian has made an immediate impact for Conte's team but is unlikely to play again this year.

That's because De Bruyne suffered a thigh injury after scoring a penalty in Napoli's 3-1 win over title rivals Inter last month. The 34-year-old has scored four league goals for Napoli following his arrival over the summer.

De Bruyne's injury is likely to force Napoli into the market in January, with Mainoo already an established target for the Serie A giants.

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Napoli gunning for top spot

Napoli will hope to reclaim top spot in Serie A on Sunday afternoon as they take on Bologna at the Renato Dall'Ara. Conte's side dropped to second in Italy's top tier as AC Milan threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 draw with Parma on Saturday night.

Elsewhere, Roma host Udinese and Inter welcome Lazio to San Siro on Sunday in an incredibly tight Serie A title race. Indeed, just one point separates the top four ahead of the final international break of the year.

تمكن منتخب السعودية تحت 17 عامًا، من تحقيق الفوز على نظيره نيوزيلندا، ضمن مباريات دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا. 

وواجه منتخب السعودية نظيره نيوزيلندا، في تمام الساعة السادسة والربع مساء بتوقيت القاهرة، ضمن مباريات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا والتي تقام في الدوحة. 

طالع.. ترتيب مجموعة مصر في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا بعد التعادل مع فنزويلا

وحقق منتخب السعودية الفوز على منتخب نيوزيلندا، بثلاثية مقابل هدفين، في المباراة التي جمعت بين الفريقين مساء اليوم. 

وأحرز اهداف منتخب السعودية كل من عبد الرحمن سفياني، وصبري دهال وساري سعيد، بينما احرز هدفي منتخب نيوزيلندا كلا من ماتياس إيناسيو وجاك فيليب. 

ويقع منتخب السعودية في المجموعة الـ 12 من مجموعات كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا رفقة منتخبات نيوزيلندا ومالي والنمسا. 

بهذا الفوز رفع منتخب السعودية رصيده إلى 3 نقاط في المركز الثالث في ترتيب المجموعة. جدول ترتيب مجموعة السعودية في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

1- النمسا- 6 نقاط

2- مالي- 3 نقاط 

3- السعودية- 3 نقاط 

4- نيوزيلندا بدون أي رصيد من النقاط 

Rishabh Pant returned to bat in the first innings despite a fracture, before being ruled out of the fifth Test

Matt Roller27-Jul-20254:53

Stokes: ‘Too many loopholes’ in injury replacements idea

India coach Gautam Gambhir has called for the introduction of injury replacements in Test cricket, a stance which England captain Ben Stokes considers “absolutely ridiculous”.Rishabh Pant, India’s wicketkeeper-batter, retired hurt on the first day of the drawn fourth Test in Manchester but re-emerged on the second day to resume his innings despite scans confirming a fracture in his right foot. Gambhir praised Pant’s bravery, saying “any amount of praise is not enough for him”, but said that injury replacements should be permitted in such instances.”Absolutely, I’m all for it,” Gambhir said. “If the umpires and the match referee sees and feels that is a major injury, I think it’s very important. It’s very important to have this rule where you can get a substitute – that is, if it’s very visible. There’s nothing wrong in doing that, especially in a series like this where it’s been such a closely fought series in the previous three Test matches. Imagine if we would’ve had to play with ten men against 11. How unfortunate would this be for us.”Related

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India were able to use Dhruv Jurel, a substitute, as their wicketkeeper in Pant’s place, but he would not have been available to bat in their second innings. The ICC’s playing conditions allow teams to make replacements if a player is concussed or contracts Covid-19, but there is no scope to replace an injured player.Some boards will trial injury replacements at first-class level later this year, but Stokes said that the conversation should be “shut down and stopped” because any proposal would contain too many “loopholes” for teams to exploit.”I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that there’s a conversation around an injury replacement,” Stokes said. “I think that there would just be too many loopholes for teams to be able to go through. You pick your XI for a game; injuries are part of the game. I completely understand the concussion replacement – player welfare, [and] player safety. But I think the conversation should just honestly stop around injury replacements because if you stick me in an MRI scanner, I could get someone else in straightaway.”If you stick anyone else with an MRI scanner, a bowler is going to show, ‘oh yeah, you’ve got a bit of inflammation around your knee; oh sweet, we can get another fresh bowler in’. I just think that conversation should be shut down and stopped.”Gautam Gambhir on Rishabh Pant: “Any amount of praise is not enough for him, especially batting with a broken foot”•Getty Images

Pant has been ruled out of next week’s fifth Test at The Oval, which starts on Thursday, and replaced in the India squad by N Jagadeesan. Gambhir praised Pant for returning to bat and adding 17 runs after retiring hurt, and said that “generations to come forward” would talk about the bravery.”Rishabh, already it’s been declared that he’s out of the series,” Gambhir said. “One thing I want to say is that the character, the foundation of this team, will be built on something that [he] did for the team and for the country as well. Any amount of praise is not enough for him, especially batting with a broken foot.”Not many people have done that in the past, and he had put his hand up and that is why I say it. Any amount of praise [is not enough]. I can sit here and talk about this for hours and hours. I think the generations to come forward will talk about this, and generations coming forward should talk about it that there is someone who’s batted with a broken foot.”It’s unfortunate because of the kind of form he was in, but again, he’s an important member of the Test side, and I hope he recovers quickly and comes back quickly, and try and deliver again for us.”

Mason Mount’s magnificent effort and a first Old Trafford goal for Benjamin Sesko secured Manchester United a 2-0 victory against Sunderland that helps ease the pressure on Ruben Amorim.

The under-fire Portuguese head coach headed into his 50th match as Red Devils boss in the spotlight after last weekend’s bruising 3-1 loss at Brentford.

But Amorim’s side responded well in wet and windy conditions against promoted Sunderland, with first-half goals from Mount and Sesko sealing a much-needed victory before the international break.

Asked about a public show of support from Mount, the United boss told reporters after the game: “I saw (that) today and I know they want to do their best – and I know they don’t want to change the coach all the time.

“But, like I said during this week, to be with the manager is ‘I will kill myself to go in every transition’. We need to show with actions.

“And sometimes when we look at our team I know for sure that when we see the games in the end they know that sometimes we can do better.

“So, I feel that during the week but we need to show that on the pitch, not just at home but also away.”

Sunderland meanwhile won’t be too worried by their start to the season despite the defeat, heading into the second international break of the season in the top half of the table with 11 points from their first seven games.

“They [United] scored twice then after that it became another game,” Regis Le Bris told BBC.

“We changed our shape to make a one-v-one game, it was a bit chaotic but at least we were back in the game. We were not strong enough to create chances today, only at the end.”

The Black Cats thought they had a route back into the game when a penalty was given for what appeared to be a kick to Trai Hume’s face, only for VAR to intervene as replays showed minimal contact. But that was not the only moment of controversy in and around the United box.

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While it would have certainly been a soft penalty, referee Stuart Attwell went beyond just ignoring the shouts from the Burkina Faso international and booked him for simulation.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ ref watch show on Monday morning, former PGMOL man Dermot Gallagher revealed Attwell should have taken the third option: do nothing.

One Philadelphia Phillie definitely showed up to his team's playoff opener against the New York Mets Saturday afternoon: pitcher Zack Wheeler.

Wheeler was superb for seven innings, allowing one hit and zero earned runs while striking out nine and walking four. When he left Game 1 of the NLDS, however, the Phillies' lead was just 1–0.

Fortunes reversed spectacularly in the eighth inning, when the Mets put up five runs on their way to a 6–2 victory. After the game, Philadelphia's lack of production left first baseman Bryce Harper fuming.

"What can you say, man? (Wheeler) threw the crap out of it again," Harper said. "Every time he goes out there, he gives us a very good chance to win."

Wheeler made his second All-Star team in 2024 on the heels of a sixth-place finish in the National League Cy Young voting in 2023. He went 16-7 with 224 strikeouts and a 2.57 ERA this seaosn.

"I feel like as an offense we wasted that start," Harper continued. "It's the same thing, man. Chasing balls in the dirt… didn't work deep into counts like we should have. We've got to understand what they're trying to do to us and flip the switch as an offense."

The Phillies will attempt to right the ship Sunday with Cristopher Sanchez toeing the rubber, while righty Luis Severino will go for New York.

The New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-1 on Thursday, clinching the AL East in the process. Aaron Judge hit his 58th home run of the season while Giancarlo Stanton mashed his 27th to go along with a double and four RBIs.

After the game, the Yankees celebrated in the locker room, which is where Stanton spoke with the media. One reporter asked if the Yankees were the team to beat in the postseason, and Stanton had a very confident answer.

"We better be," Stanton said. "That's the point."

Those will become famous last words if the Yankees fall short of the World Series for a 15th straight year. Last season, they missed the playoffs entirely. Before that, the Yankees had lost in the ALCS three times in six years.

The 2024 campaign marks the third time New York has won its division since Stanton joined the club in 2018.

Sunday’s League Cup semi-final was always going to be an unmissable event, but this latest Old Firm derby is even more intriguing than usual.

Both Glasgow giants have changed managers in recent weeks, with this only Danny Röhl’s fourth match in charge of Rangers, while Martin O’Neill is back in the Celtic hot seat on an interim basis, following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation on Monday.

For Röhl, it feels as though momentum is starting to build in Glasgow’s West End, following back-to-back Premiership victories over Kilmarnock and Hibs so far this week.

Nevertheless, there is nothing quite like an Old Firm derby to set the zeitgeist, so victory at the national stadium on Sunday would only enhance Röhl’s hero status among the Rangers support, but what lineup should he select against their fierce rivals?

Rangers team news vs Celtic

First and foremost, it has transpired this week that midfielder Connor Barron is suspended.

The £14k-per-week star has been cautioned during both League Cup ties so far this season, victories over Alloa Athletic and Hibernian at Ibrox, so will serve a one-match ban at Hampden.

Given that Barron started the mid-week win at Easter Road, at least one change to the lineup will be required, but a few more are forecast.

Elsewhere, Dujon Sterling remains sidelined long-term due to an achilles injury, still yet to feature this season, but attacker Oliver Antman could return, having missed the last two matches due to illness, which would be a boost.

In total, four changes are forecast when compared to the lineup that left Leith with all three points on Wednesday, but will this team have enough to defeat Celtic?

Rangers predicted XI vs Celtic

As Danny Röhl seeks to figure out which players he can count on, one man whose spot is not up for debate is Jack Butland.

He was the Gers’ hero against Hibs in mid-week, saving a late Jamie McGrath spot-kick, thereby preserving the club’s first clean sheet away from Ibrox since December last year, a sequence of 25 matches that broke the club-record set in Victorian times.

In front of him, Röhl is likely to stick with the back three deployed in both domestic matches so far.

This is good news for Nasser Djiga who, after high-profile mistakes against Dundee and Club Brugge in August, sent off in the former and rather gifting the Belgians a goal in the latter, found himself cast aside.

Nevertheless, the Wolves loanee will keep his place alongside Derek Cornelius and John Souttar.

At wing-back is where the first change will be made.

Having been introduced at half time in Edinburgh, James Tavernier will return, making his 43rd Old Firm appearance, but there is a question mark over who gets the nod on the other side.

The captain replaced Jayden Meghoma in the capital, with Max Aarons shifting across to left-wing-back, so it’s tough to forecast who Röhl will go for, but the teenager on loan from Brentford is the more natural option.

In the middle, given Barron’s suspension, Mohamed Diomandé is the obvious candidate to come in and partner Nicolas Raskin, the pair rekindling their partnership that was the most effective part of Rangers’ team last season.

In this system, Röhl needs two players who can cover a lot of ground, something that certainly is not Joe Rothwell’s forte.

Attack is, by a significant distance, the toughest area of the team to forecast, with seven players, realistically, vying for three spots.

Having scored in each of the last two matches, thereby on target in back-to-back Premiership appearances for the first time since December, Danilo is likely to keep his place, but could be the only member of Wednesday’s front three to do so.

After a generally anonymous performance in Leith, Mikey Moore is set to drop out, the Spurs loanee still yet to score for the Gers.

This would see Djeidi Gassama return to the forward line, having scored five times so far this season, albeit all of which have come in Europe, looking to change that at Hampden.

When he arrived, then-manager Russell Martin labelled the Frenchman “an exciting player who will get supporters on the edge of their seats”, and that has certainly proved to be the case so far.

To complete the forward line, Röhl seems to see something in Youssef Chermiti that supporters do not, the 21-year-old joining Rangers for £8m from Everton, a fee that could rise all the way to £10m, a club record in the post-liquidation era.

The big money signing has started two of the last three games, scoring his first goal for the club off the bench against Killie last Sunday.

However, deploying two centre-forwards against Celtic would be bold, which may well count against both Chermiti and Bojan Miovski, meaning Thelo Aasgaard is the most likely candidate to come in, chosen over Antman, given his recent bout of illness.

Röhl does have options and plenty of talent to work with, even if that certainly did not appear to be the case during Martin’s ill-fated tenure.

So, does this XI have enough quality to beat a depleted Celtic?

Only time will tell!

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Liverpool are now reportedly intensifying their move to sign South American wonderkid Ian Subiabre after he impressed Anfield chiefs in recent months.

There’s been endless examples in which a top six side in the Premier League have been forced to pay a premium price for a South American wonderkid turned great at a mid-table side. Chelsea paid a record price for a midfielder when they signed Moises Caicedo, Liverpool also bought Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton and Carlos Baleba could be next in line.

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The strategy may be changing, however, and the Reds’ pursuit of Subiabre proves that. It also makes perfect sense why a young winger is being linked with a move to Anfield, given that Mohamed Salah will be into the final year of his contract next summer.

At 33 years old, the Egyptian has looked a shadow of his best self for most of the current campaign. It was only against Aston Villa last time out that he looked anything close to the player that won the Golden Boot and Playmaker award in the Premier League last season.

Whilst it was a major boost for Arne Slot that Salah looked at his sharpest against Villa, there’s no escaping the concern that the winger’s form has created in the opening weeks.

For the first time, there’ve been questions over Salah’s ability at 33 and just how the Reds will replace one of the best wingers in Premier League history.

The arrivals of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike could take Liverpool’s frontline down a fresh route when Anfield’s Egyptian King eventually departs, but Slot is yet to see any sign that they can work together as a duo.

Instead, those in Merseyside may be better off replacing Salah with a rising star and that’s where Subiabre could come in.

Liverpool intensify Subiabre move

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are intensifying their move to sign Subiabre from River Plate and Michael Edwards is even willing to bring negotiations forward to fend off interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.

Having missed out on previous South American wonderkids, 18-year-old Subiabre is someone that Liverpool should do everything to land.

Naturally a right winger who can also play through the middle and on the left, Transfermarkt compared the River Plate star to Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez – a player Liverpool have been linked with in the past. Having missed out on the former Manchester City star, signing his younger clone wouldn’t exactly be a bad idea at Anfield.

Dubbed a “technical winger” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Subiabre is already making his mark in Argentina and could be on his way to the home of the Premier League champions sooner rather than later.

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Liverpool star Federico Chiesa, who was once a teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus, settled the GOAT debate as he picked Lionel Messi over the Al-Nassr star. It’s the question that has divided football fans for nearly two decades, and still, when both legends are at the twilight of their respective careers, the debate rages on. There have been contrasting opinions, but Chiesa has no doubt that the crown belongs to one man, and he is Messi.

The debate that will never die

For more than 20 years, Messi and Ronaldo have defined modern football. Messi is the elegant playmaker turned finisher, who has now won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards and every major honour possible. Whereas Ronaldo has emerged as the indomitable force of will, who carved his path through sheer discipline. He is still on a record-breaking spree and aims to become the first man to score 1,000 goals for club and country before he hangs up his boots. At Juventus, Ronaldo may not have reached the astronomical heights of his Real Madrid days, where he won four Champions League titles, but he left an indelible mark in Italy. His professionalism set a new benchmark in Serie A, but that was not enough for Chiesa to hail him as the best player in history. 

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWhat did Chiesa say on the GOAT debate

Speaking to Sky Sports, Chiesa didn’t hesitate when asked to pick between the two icons.

"I was lucky enough to spend a year with one of the greatest champions in football history: Cristiano Ronaldo," he began. "Seeing him live, his dedication, his mental strength, being decisive and being present in every situation was a constant inspiration for me. Cristiano is on a different planet. It was exciting to work with him and see what he does to be so strong." 

And yet, when the conversation turned to Messi, Chiesa’s tone shifted from admiration to awe.

"I have played with Ronaldo, and playing with him was incredible," he said. "They (Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo) are truly the best players in history. And to be completely honest, I have to say that Leo Messi is the best footballer in history."

However, back in 2019, when the two superstars were still at the peak of their powers, and Messi had not yet won the World Cup, Chiesa had a different opinion.

"For two or three years, I really struggled to get any playing time, as my physique wasn’t as well-developed as others my age," Chiesa told Undici magazine.

"When you are 14 or 15 years old, it feels like this desperate disappointment. I thought many times about giving up, but my family always believed and ultimately so did I. When I wasn’t playing, I’d try to think: I’ll play the next one. Working hard in training really paid off, it’s the push that got me to Serie A and now has me trying to improve week by week.

"It’s the same attitude as Cristiano Ronaldo. He doesn’t have the talent of Messi, but has won the same number of Ballon d’Or trophies. An exemplary professional like him proves if you want to reach the top and stay there, focusing on every tiny detail is crucial."

Ronaldo: 'The World Cup doesn’t define me'

Ronaldo has dismissed the idea that his career needs a World Cup triumph to be complete. Speaking to , the Portugal captain insisted his legacy stands without it, which is a complete U-turn from his earlier stance, when he admitted that it was indeed a "dream" to lay his hands on the World Cup trophy. 

"If you ask me, ‘Cristiano, is it a dream to win the World Cup?’ No, it’s not a dream," Ronaldo said. "To win the World Cup, nothing will change my name in the history of football, I’m not going to lie. One thing that I’m sure of [is] that I will enjoy the moment. The moment is the most important thing that we have. We are not qualified already. Enjoy the moment. 

"In my mind, I’m not thinking in that way. Of course, you want to win, yeah. When you compete, you want to win… for me, [winning the World Cup] is not going to change the way I see things. We won three titles for Portugal. Before, Portugal had never won [anything]. Portugal have never won a World Cup. ‘Yeah, but they can win.’ Yes, we’re going to fight for that. But [using it to] define [me] at 40 years old, 41? To define what? To define if I’m one of the best in history? To win one competition, six games, seven games? You think it’s fair? It’s not fair."

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Piers Morgan UncensoredRonaldo claims he is THE BEST!

Ronaldo’s record in international football speaks for itself as he has 143 goals in 225 caps. He is gunning to score 1000 goals for both club and country combined before he hangs up his boots, and when asked if he considered himself to be the best in history, he said: "Messi better than me? I don't agree with that opinion. I don't want to be humble."

Ronaldo signed a contract extension with Al-Nassr in the summer as he is chasing down his first league title in Saudi Arabia. They have embarked on a perfect start, winning the first eight games. He will be back in action against Al-Khaleej on November 23 after he has represented Portugal against Ireland and Armenia on November 14 and 16 in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. 

Enzo Maresca returned silverware to Stamford Bridge last season, two loads of it. Chelsea also finished fourth in the Premier League to unlock the doorway into the Champions League.

It’s been an up-and-down start to the 2025/26 campaign, but there’s little sense that Chelsea have been hit with a case of second-season syndrome, instead finding their footing after a summer of change.

There is enough on show for the fans to remain confident in the project. Before the international break, the Londoners beat Liverpool, and it was Estevao Willian who wheeled away in celebration after that last-gasp strike against the champions, Chelsea making their pressure and optimism count and keeping pace on the fringes of the early title pack.

However, if the Maresca era is to reach new heights, the Blues will need a ready-made superstar to lead the way toward glory. Someone, perhaps, in the vein of Eden Hazard.

Hazard's Chelsea legacy

Hazard is one of the greatest players to ever grace the Premier League. He might have retired relatively early, but the Belgian maverick gave everything across seven seasons for Chelsea, and his record-breaking departure to Real Madrid in 2019 led Joe Cole to hail him as “the greatest player the club has ever had.”

The 34-year-old played 352 matches for Chelsea, scoring 110 goals and supplying 88 assists. No player in Premier League history has completed more take-ons in a single campaign than him (180), as per Squawka.

Quite simply, his dribbling and directness left nothing to be desired; what more could be demanded from one of the greatest to do it?

The two-time league champion also won two Europa League titles among further domestic honours. Four times he was named Chelsea’s Player of the Year, and he was crowned the Premier League Player of the Season in 2014/15 after guiding his side to the trophy.

In some ways, Estevao may be a new incarnation of the fleet-footed winger, but Hazard was a talisman who transcended his positional role, and there’s another within Maresca’s squad who is shaping up to be the next version.

Chelsea's new version of Eden Hazard

While Estevao has the world at his feet, it’s important not to overburden the 18-year-old. That said, Cole Palmer is already settled into his talismanic berth at Stamford Bridge, and he has the quality and experience to lift Chelsea to new heights and emulate Hazard.

Palmer, 23, joined the Blues from Manchester City just over two years ago, penning a long-term contract off the back of a £42.5m fee.

Ice-cold from the start, the England international’s maiden campaign in the capital was the stuff of legend, fast-tracking himself to the overhanging posters across the Premier League advertising boards. He was, in other words, instantly among the most talented and marketable players in the country.

Given that Palmer is still so young, hailed by Sky Sports’ Nick Wright as being ‘Chelsea’s new leader’, the rangy playmaker might not have Hazard’s same blistering speed, but he’s got the skills and potency in the final third to guide Chelsea toward heights more illustrious than have been reached already under Maresca’s wing.

Indeed, it’s curious to note that Palmer has actually outperformed Hazard across his opening two terms at the outfit, when comparing the superstars’ respective starts to life in London.

Games

111

97

Goals

30

43

Assists

31

29

G/A Rate

0.55

0.74

Trophies

2x

2x

Maybe this underscores just how impressive a start to life at Chelsea Palmer has made. There was a reason that Jamie Carragher described the Three Lions star as “the best player in the Premier League” one year ago, after all.

Having struggled with injury across the opening months of the new campaign, Palmer has only featured four times across all competitions, with two goals scored. Despite his limited showing thus far, Palmer has been praised by Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp for a “world-class” performance against Bayern Munich in September.

But he’s a hero for the club, alright, and could leave a legacy that ends up rivalling and maybe even surpassing that of Hazard.

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