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Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that the Chelsea board will be “stubborn” and stick with Graham Potter despite growing pressure on the manager.

What’s the latest on Graham Potter and Chelsea?

If Potter was to be sacked after this weekend, nobody would be that shocked. After having taken over from Thomas Tuchel, the Englishman has struggled to impress so far.

Indeed, heading into their clash against Spurs, the Blues sit 10th in the league on 31 points after 23 games. In total, Potter has overseen 17 Premier League games, winning just five.

Under previous management, perhaps that would have been enough to see him sacked. However, owner Todd Boehly has been patient up until now and it seems as though that won’t change any time soon.

Indeed, during the latest edition of Chasing Green Arrows on YouTube, Jones responded to the idea of Potter being sacked soon.

He replied: “It is not happening. You’re going to have to get your head around the fact that Graham Potter is going to be your manager for a while longer unless things get absolutely out of control.

“This board are just not going to budge. They’re going to be stubborn with this and they’re going to stick with him.”

Will Boehly sack Potter at Chelsea?

Going into this weekend’s round of league fixtures, Potter has won just one of his last Southampton was perhaps the most damning of his Chelsea career so far.

Former owner Roman Abramovich may well have taken that defeat as his cue to sack the club’s current boss. After all, in 19 years in charge, the Russian oligarch saw 13 different men hired as the permanent Chelsea manager.

Boehly, however, appears to be more patient – albeit having sacked Tuchel earlier this season – and Jones certainly seems confident with his prediction. Even so, if Potter can’t turn things around soon enough, he will surely be on borrowed time.

It’s certainly a hugely important game for the Englishman this weekend as his side take part in a London derby away at Tottenham Hotspur.

A defeat there really would put Boehly’s patience to the test.

Leeds United pair Victor Orta and Angus Kinnear could potentially be moved on in their roles if 49ers Enterprises buy a majority stake, Phil Hay has claimed.

The Lowdown: Changes afoot at Leeds

The Whites are continuing to battle to stay in the Premier League on the pitch, but there is also plenty going on off it at Elland Road at the moment.

Endless rumours have suggested that 49ers Enterprises are looking to become sole owners of Leeds sooner rather than later, in what would be a major change at the club.

Orta and Kinnear are currently sporting director and managing director at Elland Road, respectively, but an update has emerged regarding their futures.

The Latest: Hay drops new claim

Writing in a Q&A for The Athletic, Hay said that the pair could possibly be moved on if the 49ers believe others could do a superior job when they come in as owners:

“These are the sort of questions that 49ers Enterprises would need to answer themselves. All the noises to this point suggested that if and when the group took control, changes at the top would be gradual rather than sweeping from the outset.”My impression for a long time was that Kinnear and Orta would stay on, certainly in the transitional period. 49ers Enterprises regarded them as assets.”But given the way this season and last season have gone, there will have to be close scrutiny of the way Leeds are operating — and whether the setup is right for the longer term.”It’s been a battle from the summer of 2021 onwards. To be fair, increased financial clout would allow the club to change how they work.”

The Verdict: Could make sense

Ultimately, the key decisions at any football club rest with the owners and that will be absolutely no different if and when the 49ers have a majority stake in Leeds.

[freshpress-quiz id=“418869″]

For that reason, Orta and Kinnear will no doubt be assessed in their roles, and if the incoming owners don’t believe they are right for the position, they should go.

That being said, the duo have both played big roles in the club’s recent success, as Leeds have battled their way back into the Premier League, so it would arguably be a surprise if they were disposed of, particularly straight away.

Everton central midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure could reportedly leave for free this summer, and Sean Dyche has the final say on his future.

The Lowdown: Contract expiring

Doucoure’s contract at Goodison Park expires in the summer, meaning that he can leave as a free agent.

He has had a resurgence under Dyche after being a bit-part player under Frank Lampard, and has started Everton’s last Premier League.

The Latest: Up to Dyche…

As per Football Insider, Dyche will be given the final say in terms of whether Doucoure is allowed to leave on a free transfer this summer, or whether he stays at the Merseyside club beyond this season.

The Toffees have an option to extend his contract by another year, and it is thought that they would look to trigger it to protect Doucoure’s value above anything else.

Speaking recently on his future, Dyche suggested that he could stay beyond this campaign, and hailed his ‘excellent’ form under him.

The Verdict: Depends on relegation

Whether Doucoure has a long-term future at the Blues is likely to be determined over whether they stay up or get relegated this season.

They are currently in the relegation zone at the moment, and so have a real chance of going down.

Doucoure is the joint-highest earner at the club on £120,000-per-week, and Everton will not want to keep him in the Championship on those wages.

However, should they stay up, Doucoure is clearly a player that Dyche likes, so the Toffees should at least be looking to extend his current deal.

Everton’s transfer blunders have been well-documented ever since Farhad Moshiri’s takeover, with seven years of mediocrity having since devolved into relegation scraps.

Season after season of misspending has left the Toffees financially ravaged, with plenty of choice acquisitions to highlight their fool-hearted spending.

Whilst some might lean towards the record signings, perhaps the worst pound-for-pound player that has ever graced the Merseyside club has to be Jean-Philippe Gbamin, given just how little he offered during his tenure.

Brought in to replace the outbound Idrissa Gueye, he was billed as an all-action defensive midfielder who had a keen eye for a pass. Yet none of these traits were able to be showcased at Goodison Park, as the Ivorian would feature just eight times in total whilst spending plenty of time out on loan.

In his desperate bid to regain fitness, the 27-year-old somehow managed to accumulate more appearances for CSKA Moscow and Trabzonspor respectively despite never being at either permanently. His fee and wages were admittedly big, but the cost was exacerbated due to the calamitous failure he became.

How much has Jean-Philippe Gbamin cost Everton?

From hamstring injuries to a ruptured Achilles tendon, Gbamin suffered from all sorts of ailments during his time in Liverpool.

His £25m initial fee would have drawn more surprise had Marco Silva not just received a mouth-watering £30m from Paris Saint-Germain for their Senegalese engine.

However, he did little to offset the departure of a man who boasted a 7.09 average Sofascore rating the season before his departure. 

Gbamin’s astronomical £75k-per-week wages were made to look even more foolish too, which only served to add to the overall outlay on a player who did categorically nothing for the club. 

The two and a half seasons he actually spent with Everton saw him drain a further £9.7m, whilst his five months in Russia saw his wages supplemented by 70% meaning he only earned £19k-per-week. That brought the total expenditure for the midfielder up to a colossal £34.8m.

That means that he cost the club roughly £4.3m for every appearance he made.

Bemoaned for his “bad luck” by Goodison Park favourite Kevin Campbell, his miserable contract is set to come to its natural conclusion in the summer of 2024 as Gbamin exits on a free.

Moshiri will be happy to see the back of someone who has rinsed his bank account for the best part of 160 weeks with nothing to show for it.

Tottenham Hotspur managerial target Luis Enrique is ‘keen’ on a move to the Premier League and could now be Fabio Paratici’s first choice.

The Lowdown: Conte quitting?

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte is set to dominate the headlines over these next few months with the Italian heavily linked to leaving north London.

Conte’s current deal expires at the end of the 2022/2023 season, and while chairman Daniel Levy can extend his stay by a further 12 months, reports claim this is growing more and more unlikely.

Paratici and co have already drawn a managerial shortlist for if Conte does depart, with former fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino among the prime contenders.

In terms of other targets, Sky share that Roberto De Zerbi, Enrique, Thomas Tuchel, Marco Silva and Thomas Frank are also of interest to Spurs.

Enrique is an interesting and potentially enticing option, especially when taking into account his illustrious CV and status as a free agent.

The Latest: Paratici ‘first choice’ for Spurs…

According to journalist John Cross, writing in a column for The Mirror, the 52-year-old could well’ be Paratici’s ‘first choice’ for the job.

He is apparently ‘keen’ on a move to England and the top flight, but in a twist, Levy may actually disagree with the Italian club chief.

Cross states that Levy wants managers with Premier League experience, something that could count against Enrique in the race to be Spurs’ next boss.

The Verdict: Go for him?

Bar Pochettino, who we believe is the standout candidate to succeed Conte, Enrique could also be a sound option.

The former Spain boss has enjoyed a decorated managerial career, clinching nine pieces of silverware in total, which includes a Champions League at former club Barcelona.

Enrique encourages a more forward-thinking style of football than Conte and could steer Spurs away from their pragmatic style of the last two seasons.

Even though Spain eventually went out in the Last 16 of their World Cup campaign, Enrique attracted praise from some members of the media for his decisions during the tournament.

Juan Ignacio G-Ochoa, via Sam Leveridge, said this about the ex-Catalans head coach:

“He’s not crazy, he’s a genius.

“Luis Enrique was criticised for his squad, for dropping Gayà, for playing a midfielder in defence, for streaming… the World Cup debut, however, has shown the reality: Spain has a great team and his ideas work.”

Able to sign for Spurs at no cost, Enrique is a name who could be linked with the job right until a coach is formally announced.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira this summer, in a deal which could be Todd Boehly's worst transfer swoop since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Could Chelsea sign Andreas Pereira?

According to ESPN, the Blues are looking at signing the Brazilian should Mason Mount depart Stamford Bridge this summer, with Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City all eyeing the England international amid his contract dispute with Chelsea.

The report claims that PSG and Atletico Madrid are also keen on the Fulham maestro, who has impressed since his switch from Manchester United last summer, with the Cottagers valuing him at around £35m.

Although the 27-year-old has been a mainstay in Marco Silva's side this season as they eye a top-half Premier League finish, his previous displays at Old Trafford suggest that Chelsea should steer well clear of Pereira, as he managed just four goals and five assists in 75 appearances for the Red Devils.

Chelsea's worst signing since Aubameyang?

The Belgian-born midfielder boasts two goals and six assists in 27 top-flight appearances so far this term, but his WhoScored average rating of 6.73 suggests that his overall displays have been far less impressive than his goal contributions would suggest.

Pereira's FBref scouting report also tells a different story, as he ranks in the worst possible percentile for non-penalty goals when compared to other attacking midfielders across Europe, while he also scores in the worst 10% for pass completion, progressive carries and progressive passes received.

If Chelsea are looking for a creative midfielder to replace Mount, then they should avoid Pereira, whose shocking 72.1% pass success rate is the 20th-best in Fulham's squad.

He has seemingly continued that trend from his time at Manchester United, with journalist Josh Bunting suggesting that his all-round game was "poor" after a "woeful" display against Aston Villa in 2019.

Considering Graham Potter already has top-quality midfielders such as Mateo Kovacic, Enzo Fernandez and N'Golo Kante at his disposal, a move for Pereira seems rather pointless, as it would also see Boehly differ from his transfer plans of signing some of the most exciting young talents in world football.

The Chelsea chairman also veered away from that when the Blues were desperate for a striker ahead of the summer transfer deadline, with 33-year-old former Arsenal star Aubameyang arriving from Barcelona.

He has endured a shocking stay at Stamford Bridge, registering one goal in 12 Premier League appearances and averaging a dreadful 6.15 average rating from WhoScored for his performances, which saw Potter go as far as to exclude him from his Champions League squad for the knockout stages.

At least the Gabon international had some top-flight pedigree when he arrived last summer, whereas Chelsea would be signing Pereira off the back of one half-decent Premier League season, and several poor ones with Manchester United.

Therefore, Boehly must steer clear of the Fulham man this summer, or risk paying over the odds for another bench warmer, as he did with Aubameyang.

Crystal Palace are monitoring Barcelona defender Sergino Dest ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Dest's future?

Roy Hodgson has Nathaniel Clyne (31) and Joel Ward (33) as his options at right-back, but with the pair both not getting any younger, alongside the fact that they are both out of contract in the summer, a younger and more athletic replacement is needed.

The United States international’s deal at Camp Nou still has two years remaining, but the fact that he’s currently out on a season-long loan at AC Milan, who have the option to buy him, shows that he’s significantly out of favour under Xavi. The Catalans full-back has also had his fair share of spells on the sidelines having sustained five injuries this season alone, but considering his long-term potential, he isn’t short of suitors heading into the upcoming transfer window.

According to 90min, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Wolves are all “keeping tabs” on Dest, who is also attracting interest from the likes of Atletico Madrid, Villarreal, Valencia, Sevilla, Lyon and Union Berlin.

AC Milan aren’t expected to trigger the option to make his stay permanent so Barcelona are therefore “looking to sell” the 22-year-old and get him off their books ahead of the new term. The Blaugrana have “high expectations” when it comes to receiving a fee sizeable enough to let him go as they look to “recoup” the €21m (£18m) they paid for him, but it’s worth noting that he has a staggering €400m (£351m) buyout clause.

Should Palace splash the cash on Dest?

Dest has been hailed a “special talent” by Journalist Ives Galarcep and Crystal Palace should definitely empty their pockets to secure his services ahead of their rivals later in the summer.

The Almere native is an attack-minded full-back who loves to get down the flank and contribute to his side’s efforts in the final third, which is highlighted in the 20 assists and 11 goals he’s scored throughout his career so far, as per Transfermarkt. Barcelona’s star would also bring excellent versatility to Selhurst Park with his ability to operate in all three positions up and down both the left and right sides (full-back, higher up in the midfield and on the wing).

Finally, Dest shares the same agent as both Joachim Andersen and Odsonne Edouard, so this could potentially give the Eagles an advantage when trying to get a deal over the line in the months ahead.

Presenter Mark Goldbridge has slammed Manchester United captain Harry Maguire for his attitude, following recent comments made by the Englishman.

What's going on with Harry Maguire?

The 30-year-old has lost his starting place for Man United, with Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane the first choice picks under Erik ten Hag, but has retained his starting spot for England under Gareth Southgate.

He recently gave an interview where he claimed that he has nothing left to prove at the top level, and this has sparked outrage amongst United fans, who feel that this mentality, given his performance levels, is not up to scratch.

Speaking on The United Stand (5.30), Goldbridge directed criticism towards Maguire, that he actually has plenty to prove at United, and that the defender's importance to his club is overstated.

"If you're sat there with the mentality that you shouldn't have to prove yourself, what are you on mate? You do have to prove yourself, and maybe this is the reason you're having a problem at Man United," he stated of Maguire.

"You keep coming out with this 'I don't need to prove myself, I'm really influential, I'm really important,' but you're not. You're really not. Varane and Martinez play and you sit on the bench, that's how important you are.

"Whoever you've got around you mate, or whatever is going around in your head, is bad advice. You are not as good as you think you are. I would say it's appalling that you've been at this club for three years, and you're coming out with statements that 'I don't need to prove myself.' Every day at Manchester United you have to prove yourself."

Should Maguire leave Man United?

Erik ten Hag's preferred pairing of Varane and Martinez has meant that Maguire has had to settle for a backup role, but the Dutchman has even picked left-back Luke Shaw ahead of Maguire at times, and this has given a big indication of the pecking order at the club.

Maguire still has two years left to run on his contract, but without regular playing time, his value is only going to decrease. The £190k-per-week defender may be seen as expendable, and if he could attract a big fee, United could reinvest the money into other areas of the pitch.

Despite being captain, Maguire has faced heavy criticism during his time at Old Trafford, and a fresh start elsewhere could be a good move for all parties.

Chelsea are monitoring AC Milan defender Theo Hernandez ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Hernandez to Chelsea?

The Frenchman’s contract at the San Siro isn’t set to expire until 2026, but having been a regular feature this season making 24 Serie A starts under Stefano Pioli, has caught the eye of the board in SW6, but not for the first time.

Reports suggested that the Blues made contact regarding a deal for the 25-year-old back in 2021 when Thomas Tuchel was in charge so despite the change in managers since that time, it’s clear that he remains a target at Stamford Bridge. Milan obviously won’t want to sell one of their most prized assets having only put pen to paper on a new deal last year, but with them being at risk of failing to secure a Champions League place, could be forced to cash in during the upcoming window.

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Todd Boehly's Chelsea, along with Premier League rivals Manchester City and Tottenham, all have Hernandez “on the radar”. The left-back’s club are already believed to be looking for replacements which shows that they feel he’ll soon be on his way out having attracted interest from being named in the Serie A team of the season for the past three consecutive years.

Second time lucky for Chelsea?

Having joined Chelsea in August 2022, Marc Cucurella has been a mainstay in the side making 19 starts but his performances have been underwhelming, so despite the return of Ben Chilwell, Hernandez would be the ideal alternative to the Spaniard.

The left-footed gem has clocked up 51 goal involvements in 155 appearances for Milan, including five assists and three goals in all competitions for 2022/23, via Transfermarkt, highlighting his desire to burst down the flank and whip crosses into the box, 67 so far this term to be precise.

The Marseille native also ranks in the 97th percentile for most shots per game which is astonishing considering that he’s a defender, a statistic which has seen him dubbed a “beast” by talent scout Jacek Kulig. The £82k-p/w talent has picked up plenty of silverware since the start of his career in the form of six trophies, including the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup, so knows what it takes to be successful at the highest level, making him the perfect fit for Chelsea.

كشف البرتغالي روي فيتوريا المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر، عن رأيه في عدد من اللاعبين المصريين، وجاء أبرزهم الثلاثي إمام عاشور وحسين الشحات وطارق حامد، وذلك بعد أزمة المعسكر الأخير.

وقال فيتوريا خلال تصريحات لبرنامج “جمهور التالتة” المذاع على قناة “أون تايم سبورت 2”: “محمد صلاح لاعب موهوب بكل ما تعنيه الكلمة داخل وخارج الملعب”.

وأضاف: “إمام عاشور، لاعب لديه قدرة قوية، من أول اللاعبين الذين استدعيتهم وفاجئني بمستواه، لكن لديه أمور يجب أن يُحسنها ليظهر بمستوى قوي، ولكنه من اللاعبين الذين اهتممت بهم منذ وصولي”.

وواصل: “تريزيجية، لاعب أقدره جدًا على المستوى الشخصي والكروي، أعشق أن أرى لاعبا بهذا الشكل يدخل للمباراة، وعن كهربا لاعب مختلف لديه طاقة إيجابية قوية، لديه (كهربا)، يكون دائمًا مركز في المباراة ويُحاول استغلال أي خطأ”.

طالع | فيتوريا: محمد صلاح في منتخب مصر مثل ميسي ورونالدو.. وكنت غاضبًا بعد ودية تونس بسبب “التدخلات”

وتابع: “طارق حامد، لاعب رقم 6 لديه رؤية دفاعية قوية جدًا، لديه مقدرة على فهم متى يرتكب خطأ، وهو نقطة ميزان للفريق، وعبد الله السعيد، هو لاعب أقدره بشكل خاص، له رؤية وقراءة للمباراة ليس بالسهل أن تجد لاعب مثله، يتفهم معطيات المباريات ويستطيع استباق أحداث المباريات قبل أن يتسلم الكرة”.

وأستمر: “شيكابالا، لاعب أقدره جدًا، كان يستطيع أن يكون لاعبا كبيرا جدًا عندما كان في سبورتينج، لكنه كلاعب مصري لديه أمور لا يمتلكها كثير من اللاعبين، يلعب بقدمه اليسرى ويمتلك مهارات”.

وأردف: “حسين الشحات، لاعب طرف لديه قوة في المحاورة ويمتلك قدرة جيدة من المستوى الذهني لإنهاء اللعبة، هو من اللاعبين الذين يستطيعون أن يراوغ واحد ضد واحد ويعرف ماذا بعد ذلك، وعن رمضان صبحي، تابعته وأعجبت به، ولكن في أكثر الأوقات التي كان يوجد فيها معسكر للمنتخب يكون مصابا، ليس بالجناح السريع ولكنه يلعب بالداخل والخارج، والمركز الذي يلعب فيه نمتلك به كثير من اللاعبين ذوي الكفاءة العالية”.

طالع | فيتوريا يحسم الجدل بشأن عروض الرحيل عن منتخب مصر وحقيقة توسطه لـ الزمالك مع سبورتينج لشبونة

وتطرق للحديث عن بعض اللاعبين الأجانب، فقال: “هناك روبن دياز لاعب مانشستر سيتي، هو أحد أفضل المدافعين في العالم، أستطيع أن أقول أنه مدافع على مستوى عال، وثانياً جواو فليكس لاعب برشلونة، لديه قدرة رائعة ومؤثر جدًا، ويستطيع حل الأمور بشكل سريع”.

وواصل: “إيدرسون حارس ليفربول، هو أحد أفضل حراس العالم، وفي رأيي هو الأفضل، له رؤية عمل لوظيفة الحارس مختلفة تمامًا، لديه خصائص قلما تتواجد في حراس العالم على المستوى التكتيكي والذهني”.

وعن الثنائي جوارديولا ومورينيو، أوضح قائلاً: “المدرب الإسباني له بصمة في كرة القدم ومن أفضل مدربي العالم، وهو من المدربين التكتيكيين الجيدين، بينما البرتغالي مورينيو، مهم جدًا بالنسبة لي وبالنسبة للمدربين البرتغاليين، مدرب له قدرة قوية جدًا إشارة لكل المدربين البرتغاليين، يُعتبر من فتح الباب لنا”.

وعن علاقته بـ جمال علام رئيس اتحاد الكرة، قال:  “توجد علاقة طيبة وصداقة، أشكره وأشكر كل أعضاء مجلس الإدارة على دعم المنتخب ولهم دور في هذه النتائج الإيجابية، طبيعي توجد أمور تحتاج تحسينها ولكن أشكرهم على دورهم”.

وعن حازم إمام المشرف على منتخب مصر وعضو اتحاد الكرة، قال: “هو شخص ذهب إلى أعماق البرتغال من أجل أن يجدني، تربطنا علاقة جيدة وهو سبب تواجدي هنا”.

وعن محمد غرابة مدير المنتخب: “هو شريك، دائمًا نعمل معًا، له دور بشكل جيد مع المنتخب.