Chelsea

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

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If you looked ahead at Chelsea's upcoming visit to Etihad Stadium after Manchester City's rampant 6-0 win over Ipswich on Sunday, you could understandably have feared for Enzo Maresca's side.

City had appeared to have emerged from the malaise than engulfed them in late 2024, going unbeaten in their first six games after the turn of the year - culminating in the devastating attacking display at Portman Road.

Chelsea, meanwhile, were on a five-game winless run in the Premier League and had slid from title contenders to top-four hopefuls.

But, narratives change rapidly in football. The Blues returned to winning ways with a 3-1 success over Wolves on Monday evening, before Paris St-Germain exposed the fragility that remains at City by coming from 2-0 down to win 4-2 on Wednesday.

Defeat in Paris was a result that leaves Pep Guardiola's side in real danger of failing to progress past the League Phase of the Champions League and a performance described as "one of the most chilling and chastening nights" of the Spaniard's reign by BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty.

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The collapse in Paris exposed City's frailties in full back positions. Josko Gvardiol had one his poorest performances yet for the club at left back while Matheus Nunes - a midfielder by trade - looked completely out of his depth on the right hand side.

The speed, trickery and directness of Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and in the second half Ousmane Dembele, was a constant issue for Guardiola's side who afforded the pacey wingers far too much space.

Joao Neves' breaking up of the play and sharpness in the tackle helped build attack after attack with the ball constantly being fed quickly into wide areas. PSG operated without a conventional number nine and the link-up play between the wingers, Lee Kang-In in the predominantly central position, and the full backs pushing up the pitch had City on the back foot whenever they moved at speed.

If Chelsea aim to replicate the success of the French champions, Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke will be encouraged to stay high and wide and attack City's under-fire full backs from minute one - whether they remain the same or if a different makeshift solution is found.

Nicolas Jackson's ability to link play is his most underappreciated attribute while Moises Caicedo has won more tackles than any other midfielder in the Premier League this season.

Chelsea have not beaten Saturday's opponents in 10 meetings, dating back to the 2021 Champions League final in Porto.

Given their overall resurgence under Maresca, and the uncharacteristic brittleness shown by City in recent months, this is surely the most confidence Chelsea will take into a meeting between the two sides since then.

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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he was "a lucky man" to work alongside Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca before their two sides meeting on Saturday.

Maresca was manager of City's Elite Development Squad between 2020 and 2021 before returning as one of Guardiola's assistant managers between 2022 and 2023.

Chelsea appointed Maresca at the start of the season, after he took Leicester to the Championship title in his first year in management, and the Blues lost 4-2 to City during pre-season and 2-0 on the opening day, external of the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.

However, uncharacteristically poor form from City since and an impressive start for Maresca sees his side arrive at Etihad Stadium on Saturday two points above their opponents in fourth place.

"I recognised his Chelsea team from day one, even when we played them in the summer camp in the States," Guardiola said.

"Many things I started to see that we spoke about many, many times in the last years together. Really good.

"I'm very pleased. I was a lucky man to work with him in the last years, and everything that happens with his family and him being fine, then I'm fine. I'm happy for him."

A new feature tracing the origins of Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer to the Caribbean island of St Kitts is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

It explores Palmer's heritage and the impact his rise to stardom has had in the island his grandfather hailed from.

Watch Cole Palmer: Made in St Kitts here

Read the full piece on Palmer's Caribbean roots here

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Chelsea striker Jimmy-Jay Morgan is set for his first loan spell at Gillingham.

The 19-year-old is already training with the League Two side in preparation for a move before the transfer deadline on 3 February.

The England Under-18s international was a high-profile academy signing from Southampton in February 2023 but has yet to make his senior debut at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have a strong group of forward options in the under-21s, with Ronnie Stutter recalled from Burton Albion, alongside Deivid Washington, Donnell McNeilly and Shim Mheuka.

Morgan has six goals in 13 games for Chelsea Under-21s in Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy this season.

Josh Lobley
BBC Sport Journalist

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has been speaking to the media before Saturday’s Premier League game against Manchester City (kick-off 17:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Maresca began with a squad fitness update: "Levi [Colwill] and Enzo [Fernandez] could be available, it depends on today's session. Romeo [Lavia] will be out. We don't know how long he will be out for."

• He simply said he is "happy with my options" on the wings when asked about links to Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho.

• On Renato Veiga's rumoured departure: "At the moment he is a Chelsea player. We will see [what happens] in the next hours."

• On Saturday’s opponents and their dip in form: "It is normal - what is not normal is the amount of things that they have won. For sure, they will be back soon. I don't have any doubt."

• Maresca was vague about potential business during the rest of the January transfer window: "We pay attention if something can happen, but we will see in the next 10 days if something is going to happen."

• He was asked if Joao Felix could leave the club this month: "Joao is a Chelsea player. The problem for Joao and Christopher [Nkunku] is that we play most games with one attacking midfielder that is Cole Palmer. This is why they struggle to get minutes, not for any different reason. They are top guys and they work well. I am not saying that [they could both leave].

• Chelsea's ratio of home and away points in the Premier League is not a concern for Maresca: "It shows how balanced we are. Everyone is saying that we get more points away, but I don't think the difference is that big. It shows we don't care if we are at home or away."

• Maresca defended his goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who has been under scrutiny in recent weeks: "Robert is OK - it's a matter of understanding that anything can happen. How many times has Moises [Caicedo] missed a pass? Many times. How many times has Nicolas [Jackson] missed a goal? How many times has Noni [Madueke] missed a cross? It is normal; it's part of the game."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary of Man City v Chelsea at 16:30 GMT on Sunday

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

This Premier League pursuit becomes a lot easier if you take your chances.

BBC Sport has checked in on some data comparing goals versus expected goals this season.

You can see from the bar graph some teams aren't finding the goals (yellow) to outstrip the expected goals they should score (black).

Tottenham, Manchester City, Arsenal, Brentford, Newcastle, Brighton, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Leicester have all scored more than expected.

Wolves in particular have found the net 32 times from an expected 23.56 - a significant overperformance.

League leaders Liverpool are pretty much bang on in returning what they should, while Arsenal have outperformed, with 43 goals from an expected 37.78.

Bournemouth - 36 goals from an expected 43 - are leaving opportunities on the table.

Chelsea are targeting Hellas Verona and Morocco midfielder Reda Belahyane, 20, as they prepare to sell Cesare Casadei. (Gianluca di Marzio - in Italian), external

Borussia Dortmund have an eye on Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Chelsea's reported interest in Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho is serious.

The 20-year-old is available on the market, but a high £70m asking price has slowed any further developments from suitors.

The Blues are battling with Napoli in their interest, as the Italian club look to replace now-Paris Saint-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia while competing for the Serie A title.

Napoli have been in negotiations with United but Chelsea have quietly been kept informed of the situation without making any offers.

Garnacho's agents Carlos Cambeiro and Quique De Lucas were both seen at Stamford Bridge on Monday for the match at home to Wolves.

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Chelsea have been fined by Uefa for chants heard at their Europa Conference League match against Shamrock Rovers at Stamford Bridge in December.

Shamrock Rovers have received an £8,540 fine for "transmitting a message that is not fit for a sports event" due to chants about the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Chelsea have been fined the same amount as they responded with an anti-IRA chant, with the fines issued by Uefa's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB).

The match finished 5-1 to Chelsea as they ended the Conference League group stage with a 100% win record and secured a spot in the last-16.

Shamrock Rovers finished 10th and have to face Norwegian side Molde over two legs for their place in the next round.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Juventus are set to sign Chelsea defender Renato Veiga on loan until the end of the season.

The Italian club have agreed to cover the Portugal's international's wages and pay a £3.8m loan fee.

No option to buy has been included in the deal.

Veiga only joined Chelsea in an £11.8m deal in July from Swiss club Basel.

Sources close to the player said he grew frustrated playing at left-back, preferring to be used at centre-back.

Chelsea believe he will get more minutes in Italy with the player ambitious to stay in Portugal's squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Juventus have beaten Champions League rivals Borussia Dortmund to Veiga's signing.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca had urged Veiga to stay last week, saying: "If there is a player who just wants to play in one position, they're going to struggle."

Veiga has made just one Premier League start this season in 18 appearances in all competitions.

A trio of Chelsea players could leave this month with Portugal defender Renato Veiga, 21, pushing to join Juventus, Italian midfielder Cesare Casadei, 22, the subject of an £11.5m bid from Lazio and England defender Ben Chilwell, 28, attracting interest from Everton. (Mail, external)

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho favours a move to Chelsea rather than Napoli, who have had a bid for the 20-year-old Argentina international rejected. (TyC Sports, via Metro, external)

Juventus have offered Chelsea the opportunity to sign Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz, 26, who is also on the radar of Manchester City and Arsenal. (Teamtalk, external)

Meanwhile, West Ham have finalised a deal to bring in Chelsea recruitment analyst Kyle Macaulay, who has previously worked with manager Graham Potter. (Guardian, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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We asked for you what one thing - good or bad - nobody is talking about at Chelsea but should be.

Here are some of your comments:

Tom: No-one is talking about Cucurella. From a figure of fun to an integral and dangerous part of our team - he is now crucial to how we play. To top it off, he appears hugely popular in the dressing room. Given his past 12 months, I would say he has more than justified his price tag.

Yusuf: I definitely think something people are not talking about is the impact Cucurella has had this season, tactically and psychically. He has been silently transforming the team. His defensive solidity, improved ball progression and the surprising goal contributions are giving Enzo Maresca new tactical flexibility. He is so underrated and deserves more credibility for what he has done.

Stu: Ben Chilwell. One of the best left-backs in the Premier League on his day and a big part of our Champions League-winning team - and he now can't even get into the Conference League or cup teams. Does this say more about Maresca than Chilwell? He says Chilwell can't play his style, but the same could be said for a lot of first-team defenders. What is really going on?

Deeq: The manager isn't fully utilising the squad at his disposal, especially considering the talent we have seen perform in the Conference League. His substitutions feel too reactive rather than proactive, with changes frequently made in the final stages of games when the result is already slipping away. A more strategic and timely use of substitutions could make a significant difference in turning games around or securing victories, rather than leaving it too late to influence the outcome. Additionally, team selection should prioritise form over cost, and those out of form should be dropped regardless of their price tag.

Chris: Maresca seems unwilling to face the prospect that we desperately need a new goalkeeper and striker who can actually put the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis!

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Liverpool's victory over Lille last night was fundamentally good for them in that they are through to the last 16 and have secured a top-two seeding.

However, that is also a positive for English clubs as a whole.

The countries who finish top in the European Performance Spots table will get five teams in next season's Champions League.

England are currently top - clear of Italy, Spain and Portugal - and while Aston Villa's defeat did not help, bonus points are applied for every position in the table, with teams in the Champions League getting the most.

So Liverpool are heading for a chunky 12 or 11.75.

There has been so much talk about how well Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth have done in the Premier League this season. Their chances of Champions League qualification will increase if English clubs keep doing well in Europe.

Chelsea got back to winning ways on Monday against Wolves and there has been so much talk about whether they are in the title race or not as they sit fourth in the Premier League table.

However, you know your club best - so we need you to tell us the one thing that no-one is talking about at Chelsea but really should be?

Tell us here

Chelsea are set to hold more talks with Manchester United over Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, 20, who is valued at £50m. (Telegraph - subscription required, external)

Meanwhile the Blues are demanding at least £70m before allowing Christopher Nkunku to join Bayern Munich. (Sky Sports, external)

Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are both pushing to sign Chelsea defender Renato Veiga, 21, who is available for either loan or a permanent move. (Times, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Will Faulks
Fan writer

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Chelsea's slump in form which began at the end of December has been damaging to their top four chances, but it's still a long way from being fatal.

The timing of it also meant a perfect chance to use the January window for some squad surgery. There are a number of players who want to leave because they're not playing as much as they'd like, there are injuries starting to accumulate, and there are areas where the team clearly needs a little more depth.

Then there are the hangovers from the summer - the players the club weren't able to shift before the season began who are still training with the squad but don't even get B team minutes.

Most of these situations were pretty clear in December, if not long before. The first week of January could have seen a flurry of activity - a couple of sales, a couple of loan players moved around, maybe even a new signing.

Instead, we're a little over a week away from the window closing and the only significant first team moves have been the return of Trevoh Chalobah and Aaron Anselmino from their loans.

Things could yet move rapidly in these last 10 days, but even then, one can only wonder what the hold up has been. Recent games have seen so many easy points dropped - and moving early and decisively in the market would have helped bring any new faces in early enough to potentially make a difference.

The difference between a transfer happening at the start of January and the end of January is not just 30 days - it's also multiple games, many training sessions and crucial points to be won or lost. Enzo Maresca was joking when he called his January a "disaster", but it could well be heading that way if results remain poor and no significant improvements are made.

Find more from Will Faulks at Chelsea News, external

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Santos are among the clubs interested in signing Chelsea's Deivid Washington on loan until the end of the season.

The 19-year-old striker has not played in the first team since April when Mauricio Pochettino was the manager and has been seeking opportunities to further his career.

Washington joined Chelsea in a £17.2m deal from Santos in August 2023 but has struggled to make the grade for the first team, mostly lining up for the under-21s.

A return to Santos, who are believed to want to re-sign Neymar in the coming months, would appeal to Washington.

However, the Blues have just two international loan spots available, with Fifa setting a strict limit of six overseas loans per club, and it will likely lead to caution over progressing any deal.

Chelsea are also looking to offload the likes of Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka in January.

Meanwhile, there is loan interest in Renato Veiga from both Juventus and Borussia Dortmund.

We asked for your thoughts after Monday's Premier League game between Chelsea and Wolves.

Here are some of your comments:

Chelsea fans:

Mathew: We were playing really well until the first goal - and then we let Wolves get back into it with the equaliser right on half-time. However, in the second half we were better by getting those two goals in five minutes. It was great to see Trevoh Chalobah starting for us again and I thought he put in a great performance and didn't put a foot wrong. It was also good to see Tyrique George coming on. I still think we may need to recall Lesley Ugochukwu from his loan at Southampton to give Enzo Maresca more midfield depth.

Chris: Another calamitous performance from Robert Sanchez and Nicolas Jackson was not much better. When is Maresca going to sort this out? It took away from a largely better performance. We need a world-class keeper and striker soon if we are to progress!

Shane: Typical Chelsea performance and roughly what I expected this season. Over-performed at the end of the year. Missing a strong core in the side. Sanchez and Jackson are not good enough to compete for major trophies. Top four would be a great achievement in my eyes.

Wolves fans:

Kevin: Awful defending yet again. Couldn't believe it when we levelled but normal service resumed after the break. Fosun needs to wake up and get a central defender and striker in or it will be a Championship team next season.

Giorgio: I am always supportive and I can usually find positives in the hardest times. Not this time. This is a depressing performance all over the pitch. Fans are constantly hoping and asking for new players in this January window, but we have to change our mentality first. Now! The confidence is too low for a relegation fight and Vitor Pereira knows that.

Jon: Gutless. No fight, determination, tenacity or character, and unable to carry out basic defensive duties. Chelsea were far from stellar and there were opportunities on the counter-attack, but we gifted the game to them with calamitous defending. We look like a team heading for the drop. So poor.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter at Stamford Bridge

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Trevoh Chalobah is often overlooked at Chelsea. So much so that he has been made available for transfer in the past three windows.

However, he slotted in seamlessly on his return to Stamford Bridge after a five-month loan spell at Crystal Palace which was cut short just last week.

During the 3-1 win over Wolves, chants for Chalobah were more common than any other from the Chelsea support.

They began from the Matthew Harding End but spread to the entire stadium after his header from a corner was turned in from close range by Noni Madueke.

Madueke admitted to apologising for poaching the goal-bound header, but added: "You have to understand, this is what they pay me for."

When Blues boss Enzo Maresca was asked about Chalobah, he said: "He was very good. We were sure he was going to help us and tonight he showed us he can do it.

"He is a strong defender and quick. He can defend in behind, forward - he is aggressive. But we already knew that and that's why we called him back."

Chalobah was equally excellent on loan at Palace, who seemed disappointed to lose him. He built a solid back-three partnership with Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix at Selhurst Park during his 14 appearances, and he also scored three goals.

New England boss Thomas Tuchel may also be taking note of the low-key consistency of a player he gave a debut to at Stamford Bridge.

Chalobah's consistency extends into last season, when he again went from exile to partnering Thiago Silva to a five-game winning run at the end of the campaign under Mauricio Pochettino.

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Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is expecting "immediate" improvement from winger Noni Madueke after Monday's victory over Wolves.

It is not the first time Maresca has taken issue with the England international this season - Madueke was dropped from Chelsea's squad against Fulham on Boxing Day for a "technical decision".

"He can improve in the last third, but probably after he scored the goal he stopped playing. This has to be one thing we need to improve immediately," Maresca said on Madueke, who scored Chelsea's third goal in the 3-1 win.

"Never happy if you score one or two - always you have to go for more.

"We just try always to help them to improve. After the goal probably he was a little bit tired, but it's the moment we need to go for more."

Chelsea are considering a move for Juventus and Serbia forward Dusan Vlahovic, 24, having held talks with the Italian club about selling defender Renato Veiga to them. (Times - subscription required), external

Meanwhile, the Blues could rival Tottenham for Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, 21, this month. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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