Chelsea have taken "serious steps" for a major signing with manager Mauricio Pochettino giving his green-light to the move.

Who have Chelsea signed?

The west London club spent nearly £400 million over the 2023 summer transfer window; sealing an array of incomings in a serious statement of intent by Todd Boehly and his co-sporting directors – Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley. Chelsea put pen to paper on deals for Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Djordje Petrovic, Angelo and Deivid Washington before deadline day, but their impressive business hasn't exactly translated to good results on the field.

Pochettino's side have won just two games so far this season, coming against Luton Town and west London rivals Fulham. Chelsea dropped points against West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Bournemouth, with a trip to Burnley up next before another international break. They haven't been helped by injuries to star players, though, with Nkunku, Lavia, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Carney Chukwuemeka, Marcus Bettinelli and Benot Badiashile all sidelined recently.

Chelsea transfer news

There are clearly still gaping holes to fix in Pochettino's squad and one of the most obvious ones is signing a new striker. Chelsea are among the division's lowest scorers; going without a goal since late August before their recent 2-1 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

As a result, it has been reported that a new centre-forward signing could be on the cards for 2024. Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Brentford star Ivan Toney are two names repeatedly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, with a report by TEAMtalk sharing news on the latter.

According to their information, Chelsea are one of two clubs who've taken "serious steps" to sign the Englishman in January as they attempt to work out the conditions of a January deal. This comes after Pochettino's personal "approval" for the transfer, and Chelsea are willing to get it done despite Toney being outside their usual target age range.

Pochettino is apparently "determined" to strengthen his attack in the winter window, and Toney is somebody he would like to work with this season. Super-agent Jonathan Barnett signed the forward to his agency recently, and Chelsea apparently have a very good relationship with him.

How good is Ivan Toney?

Before his ban for alleged gambling breaches, which is set to end mid-way through January, Toney was in fine form for Brentford. He scored 20 goals last season in the league alone, with his manager Thomas Frank calling him a "remarkable" player.

"Ivan is amazing in many, many aspects,” Frank said earlier this year. “The way he copes with pressure and distractions is amazing. He’s been scoring goals, performing for the team and driving the team. He’s remarkable. I can only talk about the Ivan that I see every day around the place and he’s a fantastic person around the group. He’s got that unique emotional intelligence to be aware of all the players, and every staff member."

Liverpool have started the new Premier League season with renewed purpose and appear to have enjoyed an impressive transfer window that has eradicated the issues that punctured the club's pursuit of success.

Jurgen Klopp has been an absolutely brilliant manager and the architect of newfound feats at Anfield, having restored Liverpool's position at the forefront of domestic football, secured the league title for the first time in 30 years and reached three Champions League finals, winning one.

For all of the immense quality added to the club during this period, no signing has had greater importance to the trajectory than that of the manager, who has had to make some ruthless decisions along the way.

Loris Karius lost his place as the first-choice goalkeeper to Alisson Becker in 2018, who joined for £67m, and while Kevin Stewart's sale was more low-key, he too is emblematic of the decisions necessary to create this remarkable winning culture.

When did Liverpool sign Kevin Stewart?

Liverpool swooped for Stewart in 2014 when the player was aged 20, having not been offered a professional contract with Tottenham Hotspur.

The youngster was viewed as a crisp and combative centre-midfielder and quickly asserted himself as one of the club's most promising talents before Klopp's arrival changed everything.

Impressive with his equanimity, very much the composed head needed to keep the play ticking, Klopp was certainly a fan and offered Stewart his Premier League debut in 2015/16, starting him for six of the Reds' final eight games of the term – praised as the "perfect role model" for younger peers by reporter James Pearce.

He would make four substitute showings during the opening phase of the following season – his last with Liverpool – but this has been the extent of his top-flight career.

He lost his place, and while he continued to feature sporadically across cup competitions that season, his fate was sealed and he was shipped on to Hull City the following summer.

Why did Liverpool sell Kevin Stewart?

In July 2017, Liverpool signed left-back Andy Robertson from Hull for an initial £8m, with Kevin Stewart heading in the opposite direction for a similar fee.

Stewart had been held in high regard by Klopp but it was becoming increasingly clear that injuries and Liverpool's fast-rising ascendancy to prominence would mean that the one-time Spurs youngster was not going to earn regular match action at Anfield.

To think that Liverpool effectively recuperated the entirety of the fee paid to sign Robertson through the sale of Stewart, who was never really likely to cement a starting berth in a team targetting new levels of success, was incredible business.

Robertson has gone on to revel in a truly astounding career, important in winning the entire sweep of silverware under Klopp's tutelage and now praised as the “complete player” by former Liverpool player Fabio Aurelio.

The Scotland captain is also considered the fourth most valuable full-back in the world according to Football Transfers' valuation model and holds the Premier League record for most assists created by a defender, with 57.

It's safe to say that the 29-year-old has enjoyed a more successful Merseyside career than Stewart would have likely forged for himself, had he remained on the club's books.

In fact, the former Red – who was once compared to Xabi Alonso for his quality of passing – is now moored in the piteous position of unemployment, having actually spent over a year on the sidelines after enduring a detrimental spate of injuries that resulted in his contractual culmination with Blackpool.

What happened to Kevin Stewart?

Stewart has not been very lucky over the past few years; having joined Blackpool on an initial 18-month contract in January 2021, the midfielder completed 28 appearances before penning a new two-year contract in June 2021, though the 5-0 defeat against Peterborough one month earlier has proved to be his last professional display to date.

Seasiders writer Sean Mcginley conveyed news just months into the 2022/23 season that the former Liverpool ace had sustained an injury that would rule him out indefinitely, having not featured under Michael Appleton that term before his setback.

And given he would not feature again and is not unemployed, Stewart faces a fight to return to senior action as he currently bobs in uncharted waters.

He did manage to impress in instances for Hull, with former City player Peter Swan writing that his 'tenacity and doggedness in the middle was crucial' and that he deserves the 'plaudits he's getting now', but Stewart was unable to sustain his performances with the kind of regularity that is requisite for success.

Indeed, the 30-year-old completed 78 matches for Hull and posted two goals and assists apiece, but was released in 2020 and subsequently picked up by Blackpool.

Season

Apps

23/24

0

22/23

0

21/22

12

20/21

16

19/20

27

18/19

27

17/18

17

16/17

4

15/16

7

Stats via Transfermarkt.

The fact that Stewart has only completed in excess of 20 league matches across the duration of his senior career epitomises his struggles, with the incessant inability to muster a rich vein of form and sustain it utterly stifling any tincture of quality from blooming into something worth singing about.

And it's unfortunate too for a player who had such effusive praise while rising to the fore on Merseyside, but such is the ruthless nature of professional football.

Stewart has fallen foul to the sable side of the beautiful game, and while he can hold his head high after impressing during his maiden years and indeed playing a part for the Tigers during his stay, there is a rueful element to a career that could have been so much more.

As it is, Liverpool must be pleased with the business savvy displayed in shipping him on for a pretty exorbitant fee all things considered.

With Robertson arriving for a similar figure from the opposite direction, Liverpool can only be satisfied with the way things panned out, even if Stewart's decline is one of great poignancy.

In the golden era of Chelsea's history when the likes of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba were dazzling packed-out crowds in west London, goals were never an issue as that duo would strike fear into opposition defences with their sheer quality.

In the Blues near faultless title-winning campaign in the 2005/06 season, spearheaded by the tactical brilliance of Jose Mourinho, Chelsea posted 72 goals in the league, but perhaps more telling, Lampard and Drogba combined for 47 of them.

Forming an almost telepathic partnership across their time at the club, the two legends built up the most fruitful duo in Premier League history, holding the record for the most combined goals as a pair (36) from 2012 – holding it for a full decade – before it was broken by Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane in 2022.

In recent times, despite accumulating over £1bn on new players since Todd Boehly took over, the Blues are still toothless in front of goal, finishing sixth from the bottom for goals scored last term (38), behind the likes of relegated Leicester City and Leeds United.

Chelsea attempted to fix that problem with the £32m acquisition of Villarreal striker Nicolas Jackson but it is fair to say, he hasn't had the desired impact thus far.

What has gone wrong for Nicolas Jackson at Chelsea?

Jackson has shown glimpses of the star striker that Chelsea so desperately desired through his piercing movement in-behind, ability to occupy dangerous pockets of space and being a handful for opposition defenders, lacking the most important part – putting the ball in the back of the net.

While the 22-year-old hasn't been helped by the injury to Christopher Nkunku as the pair formed what was looking like a budding partnership in pre-season, Jackson's attacking metrics paint a picture of someone who is doing everything but take his chances.

The Senegalese has scored only twice in the Premier League this term – the latest coming in a 4-1 victory against Burnley – a goal he hopes will truly kickstart his Chelsea career, however, the youngster could have had several more goals to his name.

According to Sofascore, the 6 foot 1 marksman is joint second in the league for big chances missed (7), fifth for the most expected goals (xG) accumulated (4.09), while his goal conversion of 10% paints a sorry picture of striker squandering big opportunities in front of goal, as seen during their defeat against Nottingham Forest.

Despite being in the early days of his Chelsea career, should he continue to be wasteful in front of goal, Mauricio Pochettino could ditch him and splash the cash on one of Europe's most promising goal-getters, Lois Openda.

What would Lois Openda bring to Chelsea?

The RB Leipzig forward has been ripping it up in the Bundesliga since making the £37m (€43m) switch to the German giants this summer.

Having netted an astonishing 58 goals combined across his past three seasons for Vitesse Arnhem and RC Lens, Openda is a lethal finisher, exhuming a calmness in front of goal, an attribute that isn't distinguished from Jackson.

Lauded as "exceptional" by Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the talented 23-year-old has taken the footballing world by storm in the past year and this is demonstrated by his incredible shooting stats, ranking in the top 3% for non-penalty goals against his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, top 6% for shots on target, top 12% for total shots and top 32% for shot creating actions per 90, via FBref.

While clever movement and lightening pace frees the Belgian into dangerous positions, similarly to Jackson, the fact he ranks so high for non-penalty goals suggests he's uber-efficient in and around the box, displaying the attributes that could get Chelsea challenging towards the top end of the table.

With four goals and two assists in seven Bundesliga appearances so far this campaign, including a strike in the Champions League against Manchester City, it is no surprise to see Premier League's circling for his signature with Liverpool and Manchester United reportedly entering the race, alongside Pochettino's men.

A deal would be near impossible to complete in January given he's only just signed for Leipzig, but if he continues this rate of scoring, the £80m rated youngster will begin a bidding war next summer that the Blues desperately need to win.

Sam Robson. Remember him on the list of former England openers? He has just made his first century of the season

ECB Reporters Network18-Sep-20181:55

Yorkshire edge towards safety

ScorecardSam Robson’s first century of the season saw Middlesex get the better of the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match with Derbyshire at Lord’s.The former England opener ended a run drought with 134 – becoming Middlesex’s first century maker since May 6.Max Holden (96 not out) was also closing in on a first century in Middlesex colours as the hosts finished an enthralling day at 350 for 8, only the second time this season they have realised a fourth batting point.But late in the day veteran seamer Tony Palladino (4-66) bowled the visitors back into contention with a spell of 4- for 3 in 15 balls.Given Middlesex’s struggles with the bat this season it was no surprise to see them stuck in under cloudy skies for the sixth time in seven red-ball games at HQ this season.Understandably then it was a nervy start – 20 balls and the odd play and miss passed before the first run clicked up on the board.Robson broke the shackles with two fours in an over off Palladino – the second boundary appearing to lift a season-load of weight from his shoulders as thereafter he settled down to play with increasing assurance.At the other end, left-hander Nick Gubbins found life more of a struggle, a spate of cameos having left him short of confidence.Nevertheless, the pair compiled only their third half-century opening stand of the season, reaching 64 before Hardus Viljoen made the breakthrough trapping Gubbins lbw.Sam Robson eases one through the covers•Getty ImagesIt would be the visitors’ only wicket of the morning session as Robson moved smoothly to 50 off 83 balls with nine boundaries, ably supported by Stevie Eskinazi who had the honour of receiving his county cap at the start of the lunch interval.There would be no 50 to accompany the honour, the South African-born wicketkeeper/batsman falling for 35, lbw to spinner Matthew Critchley.Skipper Dawid Malan was next to go, a skittish innings of 16 ending when he aimed an ill-advised hook at Viljoen, the ball arrowing its way to the safe hands of Luis Reece at long-leg.His dismissal more often than not this season would have heralded a collapse, but youngster Holden came in and looked composed from his first ball and as a result he and Robson regained the initiative.Robson’s hundred arrived courtesy of a single to mid-on in the last over before tea, the applause from the Middlesex faithful seeing him raise his bat in delight and relief in equal measure.The pair played with increasing authority at the start of the final session, raising the 250 – a figure reached only once previously in the first innings by the Lord’s tenants this season.The century stand came at almost a run a minute and Holden’s 50 arrived shortly afterwards complete with six boundaries.The dizzy heights of 300 were in sight when Palladino new ball in hand changed the complexion of the day. A devastating spell began when he found the edge of Robson’s bat ending an otherwise chanceless innings and a stand of 132. Tail-up Palladino struck again with his next ball, new man Robbie White get a thinner edge to Gary Wilson at first slip.James Harris survived the hat-trick ball only to depart in Palladino’s next over, trapped on the back foot.The hosts had subsided from 298-3 to 304-6 but Palladino wasn’t finished yet, getting another lbw shout upheld to remove Martin Andersson.With the ball now doing plenty Holden was given a life when Wilson shelled a chance at first slip off Lockie Ferguson.That scare survived, Middlesex briefly steadied the ship until James Fuller, having just hit Ferguson for six top-edged the next ball down to Critchley at third man.Ethan Bamber though helped raise the 350 and kept alive hopes of a Holden century in the morning.

West Ham United intend to open talks to sign an exciting player soon after meeting with his agents, and it is believed they're already frontrunners.

West Ham form and results

The Irons are in very good shape, having enjoyed an excellent month prior to this ongoing international break. David Moyes' side have won four out of their opening eight Premier League games so far, all while maintaining their excellent run in Europe where they have gone 17 games unbeaten since the Conference League last term. West Ham have collected some pretty good results recently, despite losses to both Man City and Liverpool, but they can arguably be forgiven considering the two sides could be contending for title glory by the end of 2023/2024.

Their 2-2 draw against high-flying Newcastle, stopping Eddie Howe's side dead in their tracks following the Magpies' pretty incredible run of games, perhaps highlights just how difficult West Ham can be to beat when playing at full potential. Moyes, speaking after West Ham's last game before internationals, praises his side for going toe-to-toe against a "top side" like Newcastle.

"I’m quite pleased with a lot of bits of the performance, especially in the first half when we got in front and we defended well when we needed to. But I think we played a top side and the level of some of the teams in the Premier League at the moment is really, really high and Newcastle are one of those teams," said Moyes after their match against the Magpies to West Ham's official website.

Moyes then went on to hail West Ham's last month, saying he was quite pleased with the outcome of their matches overall.

"I always knew in between the international breaks that we had four games which were Manchester City, Liverpool, Sheffield United and Newcastle, so it was always going to be hard to take too many points. In my head, I thought ‘if we can get four points from those games, that won’t be too bad’, but obviously I was hoping to get more. In between, we had a couple of cup wins as well, which helped, so I’m quite pleased with the way the last month has gone."

Who are West Ham linked with?

Off the field, technical director Tim Steidten and sporting director Mark Noble will be plotting ways to bolster Moyes' overall ranks while adding more strength to the West Ham side. Media rumours suggest they're after a central defender, with the likes of Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba and AC Milan's Malick Thiaw linked.

Physically strong

At ease when dribbling

Technically gifted

However, a report from Premier League Brasil and journalist Guilherme Ramos has now claimed that they want to "open negotiations" for Palmerias starlet Luis Guilherme before the Under-17 World Cup in less than a month, It is believed the east Londoners and Chelsea in particular have an "upper hand" over competitors, making them frontrunners, with West Ham already meeting the player's agents. It's added that they're "new competitors" to sign the midfielder called by the report one of Brazil's most promising gems.

Newcastle have been dealt a huge injury blow in the run-up to the end of the season after it was confirmed that Sven Botman suffered an ACL injury.

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Botman injured during Man City clashDefender diagnosed with ACL injuryWill undergo operation next weekWHAT HAPPENED?

The centre-back was forced off in the late stages of the Magpies' 2-0 defeat to against Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. He has since been diagnosed with an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament and faces up to nine months out after he undergoes surgery next week.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT NEWCASTLE SAID

An update from the club read: "Newcastle United defender Sven Botman will undergo surgery next week after suffering a knee injury against Manchester City.

"Following further assessment, a scan has confirmed that he sustained an injury to his ACL during Saturday's match and he is expected to return to action within six-to-nine months.

"The Dutch centre-back initially sustained a knee injury in September 2023 and elected for a non-surgical rehabilitation plan – a decision which saw him return to action in December.

"Everyone at Newcastle United wishes Sven a full and speedy recovery."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The 24-year-old Netherlands international has been a mainstay in Eddie Howe's team this season, making 22 appearances in all competitions. He was previously ruled out with a knee injury that sidelined him from late-September until December.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR NEWCASTLE?

The absence of a key figure comes as a big blow to Newcastle as they look to get back into the fight for a place in European football next term. Howe's side sit 10th in the table and take on West Ham in their next match on March 30.

Arsenal have had the pleasure of seeing an abundance of attacking talent sport the cannon over the years, with Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta all having a scorer of some potency throughout their tenures.

The most notable of the Premier League era is of course the Gunners’ all-time leading goalscorer Thierry Henry, who scored 228 goals in 377 appearances during his time in north London, seeing him now cast in bronze at the Emirates.

While the Frenchman remains at the benchmark for others to attempt to reach, Arteta’s young and hungry talents of today are proving that they could be in good stead to hand Arsenal some well overdue major silverware.

The likes of talent of Bukayo Saka was unearthed in house at Hale End, however star forwards such as Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard were collected in the transfer market, all prevailing to be effective captures.

Emery and Arteta struck gold with their signings, who have contributed to a mass of goals so far in their careers at the Emirates, however not every signing has experienced such success at Arsenal.

Ironically it was one of Wenger’s attacking captures that failed to live up to expectation, as in 2016, all the hope was there for the legendary Frenchman to have discovered his next prolific source in the transfer window.

Lucas Perez's arrival at Arsenal in 2016

During the summer of 2016, it was announced that Arsenal had signed La Liga talisman Lucas Perez from Deportivo La Coruna for a fee of £17.1m.

The striker, who was 27 years old at the point of his arrival, admitted he was “flattered” when he heard of Arsenal’s interest, as the Gunners looked for a new face to bolster their attack after relying solely on Olivier Giroud the season prior.

Wenger’s side had finished second in the 2015/16 campaign to Leicester City, giving the north Londoners fuel to improve their squad in the summer in order to continue the upward trajectory, however, this was far from the case.

The reasons why Arsenal signed Lucas Perez

Perez was signed after Arsenal had been unable to grasp their primary targets Jamie Vardy and Alexandre Lacazette, making critics gather quickly around the assumption that the Spaniard was the result of a ‘panic buy’.

Spanish football expert and journalist Guillem Balague was quick to defend the Gunners’ acquisition, explaining that the Premier League side had been “following Perez for a year”, branding the move a “top signing” for Arsenal.

In La Liga the season prior to his transfer, the 27-year-old had directly contributed to 27 goals in 26 appearances for La Coruna, scoring 17 and assisting ten in the league to showcase just what he could offer to Wenger’s front line.

The scene was set for the Spaniard to offer Arsenal a refreshed source for goals, after fans had become frustrated by the inconsistency of Giroud, and with an impressive scoring tally in Spain’s top-flight in 2015/16, the Gunners were poised to welcome the striker with open arms.

The impact of Lucas Perez at Arsenal

After all of the excitement of Perez’s arrival in what was a fairly inconclusive transfer window for Wenger’s side, things were quickly seen differently as the reality of the situation was realised.

The Spaniard made his Premier League debut in September against Southampton, however that start was just one of three starts that he secured for the Gunners during his year-long stay at the Emirates.

From lack of performance, to injury, to slipping down the pecking order, Perez failed to live up to expectation at Arsenal, and admittedly was given little chance to show his true potential in Wenger’s side.

The striker scored seven goals and registered five assists during his 21 appearances for the club, making the best out of what was a situation that starved him of game time due to competitions within the squad.

A hat-trick in the Champions League group stages against FC Basel was the highest point of the Spaniard’s time with the Gunners, however, he made it clear that he wasn’t at the Emirates to assume a sporadic role, despite being branded as "poor" by journalist Mattias Karen for his end product.

The reasons why Lucas Perez left Arsenal

A year after his arrival, Perez was sent back to La Coruna on a season-long loan, to grant his wishes of more game time after the north Londoners sealed the signing of long-term target, Alexandre Lacazette.

The forward made it clear that he was unhappy at Arsenal, telling Spanish media that the club had treated him badly, with the final straw being an “ugly gesture” in which Lacazette was handed Perez’s number nine shirt without asking, as relayed by Sky Sports.

On his return from his loan, the forward was prepped and ready to leave the Gunners, which he did, only by relocating to the other side of London, where he signed for West Ham United in a £4m deal.

History seemed to repeat itself, as Perez was handed only a slim chance to shine, leaving the London Stadium after just one year, having secured four Premier League starts that season, netting a total of six goals in 19 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers.

Lucas Perez's form since leaving Arsenal

After leaving England, Perez returned to his homeland, where he has remained since his exit from east London in 2018.

West Ham handed the out-of-favour striker to Deportivo Alaves, where he has since represented Elche and Cadiz, before this summer returning to his home club Deportivo La Coruna.

England

Spain

Goals

13

73

Assists

5

45

Via Transfermarkt

Currently playing the third tier of Spanish football at the age of 35, Perez has found sanctuary in his home country, as highlighted by his form at the point of his La Coruna return as he found himself among the goals with Cadiz in La Liga.

While things didn’t work for Perez at Arsenal, they certainly work for the striker in Spain, with him actually outscoring the Gunners’ current hitman Gabriel Jesus during the 2022/23 campaign.

Last term, the forward played half of the season with Cadiz, before joining La Coruna in January, where over the course of the football calendar he scored 13 goals and provided eight assists.

Jesus scored 11 goals and replicated Perez’s record of eight assists in 2022/23, finding the net two times less than the former Arsenal outsider to put into perspective just how difficult it is for some players to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.

Jesus is far better suited to Arsenal, just as Perez is far better suited to the game in Spain, however one thing that’s for sure is that the Gunners learned from their mistake of recruiting the Spaniard, with their striker signings since his arrival proving to have improved significantly.

From Jesus, to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, gone are the days of lacklustre acquisitions in the strike department at the Emirates, and unfortunately for Perez, he had to be the final dud to change the trajectory in the transfer window for Arsenal.

Up and down the English Football League, younger managers are taking their chance to show what they’re made of.

Kieran McKenna is just 37 and has Ipswich Town flying high in the Championship, whilst the team that beat them to the League One title last season, Plymouth Argyle, are also led by someone under 40 in the form of Steven Schumacher.

In the Premier League, Mikel Arteta, currently the fourth-youngest boss in the English top flight, threatened to usurp former colleague Pep Guardiola in the table last season. On the flip side, the Manchester City boss features among the older bosses in the country's top four divisions.

Football FanCast takes you through the 15 oldest permanent managers in the Football League right now.

15 Pep Guardiola – Manchester City (52)

The Premier League is where we start, with a sizeable amount of the older managers being in charge of top-flight clubs.

Pep Guardiola features on a lot of lists, but being on one for the oldest managers may come as something of a surprise.

His trophy cabinet as a player and manager is made even more remarkable by the fact he's been in the managerial game at the top level for 15 years. With Barcelona alone, he won nine La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues when combining his exploits on and off of the field.

This dominance of the sport has continued into his time in Manchester and he finally got over the line in Europe’s elite competition last season, beating Simone Inzaghi’s Inter in the final.

14 Erik ten Hag – Manchester United (53)

Remaining in the same city, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is in his second season at Old Trafford.

United are definitely struggling on all fronts currently, although the external noise and negativity seems to be louder than that within the organisation.

Ten Hag led the Red Devils to EFL Cup success in 2022/23, making light work of Nottingham Forest at the semi-final stage before beating Newcastle United under the Wembley arch, while he nearly made it a cup double only for United to lose to neighbours City in the FA Cup.

Prior to taking over in Manchester, Ten Hag impressed in his home country at the helm of Ajax, winning three Eredivisie titles and leading them to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.

13 Mark Robins – Coventry City (53)

Mark Robins first managed Coventry City in 2012 before quickly being snapped up by Huddersfield Town.

A decade later, the former Manchester United man is in his seventh full season at the helm of the Sky Blues in his second stint with the club.

He quickly endeared himself further to the Coventry faithful upon his return by winning the EFL Trophy in 2016/17, and was then the man to guide them up the football pyramid.

Robins led them to victory in the League Two play-offs in 2018 which saw them reach League One, and a couple of years later won the title in the third tier.

In spite of the stadium issues that Coventry have endured, they remain a very capable Championship team that only just missed out on promotion to the Premier League on penalty kicks at Wembley last year, losing to Luton Town.

12 Phil Parkinson – Wrexham (55)

Phil Parkinson has one of the most exciting jobs in the EFL currently as manager of Wrexham.

He took over in Wales in 2021 having left his previous role with Sunderland the year prior and was the man to drive Wrexham into League Two last term.

Parkinson’s team won the National League title last season ahead of Notts County thanks to a remarkable tally of 111 points. It was one of the highest-quality title races that English football has ever seen, certainly at that level.

Parkinson also previously managed the likes of Colchester United, Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers.

11 Jurgen Klopp – Liverpool (56)

Returning to the Premier League now with Liverpool’s boss Jurgen Klopp, who is now in his mid-50s.

The Reds missed out on Champions League qualification for the first time since the German boss first campaign at Anfield, with many onlookers questioning his ability to continue on Merseyside as a result.

Looking across his wider tenure, he has title wins in the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League to show for it.

In Germany, he is a club legend at Mainz having played over 300 times for them and getting the club promoted to the Bundesliga as manager. With Borussia Dortmund, he got to a Champions League final and was able to overcome the juggernaut that is Bayern Munich twice in the battle for the league title, with this success putting him firmly in the shop window for the Liverpool job.

10 Paul Simpson – Carlisle United (57)

Simpson saw out his playing days as player-manager of Carlisle United, where some of his first steps in the dugout saw him achieve remarkable success.

He led the Spireites out of the Conference and won the League Two title in his initial spell, before returning to the club 16 years later to take them out of the fourth tier once again, gaining promotion into League One via the play-offs last summer.

They may be struggling this term thus far, but the Cumbrian club remain all the better for having crossed paths with Simpson.

9 Nigel Clough – Mansfield Town (57)

The Clough name is infamous in English football due to the brilliance of Brian during his time in charge of Nottingham Forest.

Nigel has continued his father's legacy in the world of management, while playing over 300 times for Forest as a player himself.

The 57-year-old’s first job came with Burton Albion, before leaving for Derby County. A spell at Sheffield United followed, where he led them to the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 2014.

He returned to the Pirelli in 2015 before they parting ways again in 2020. Clough wasn’t out of work for long as he moved on to Mansfield Town, where he is currently doing a very good job in 2023/24 as they push for promotion out of League Two.

8 Ange Postecoglou – Tottenham Hotspur (58)

Ange Postecoglou has had a very positive impact on and off of the field in the Premier League since joining Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.

Spurs fans are particularly content with the man they now have in charge, and his journey in this sport is an interesting one.

He previously managed a number of Australian teams as well as the national team at youth and senior level.

After his tenure with Australia ended in 2017, he moved on to Japan before arriving at Celtic, where he won two SPFL titles in as many seasons.

7 Nigel Adkins – Tranmere Rovers (58)

Nigel Adkins is perhaps best known in the EFL landscape for his time in charge of Southampton and Hull City.

He also had a brief stint with Reading in the Premier League, but that didn’t go particularly well for either party as he led them back into the Championship, and lasted little over 18 months.

In 2021, he was with Charlton Athletic for a short period of time and now finds himself at Prenton Park with Tranmere Rovers.

Adkins joined the club as technical director but became manager in September of this year following the sacking of Ian Dawes.

6 Tony Mowbray – Sunderland (59)

Tony Mowbray played for three teams in his career, all of whom he has gone on to manage.

The trio in question are Middlesbrough, Celtic and Ipswich Town – with most games both as a player and as a manager coming for Boro.

He never played for Sunderland, but that hasn’t prevented him from excelling whilst at the helm of the Black Cats.

Last year, his Sunderland team lost in the Championship play-off semi-finals to eventual winners Luton Town, and will be looking to go one step further this time around.

What a 60th birthday present that would be!

One Leeds United player could leave Elland Road next year if the Whites aren’t promoted, with a club seemingly eyeing up a move.

Leeds United transfer update

The Whites have been undergoing a transformation both on and off the pitch after being relegated from the Premier League to the Championship last season. Now under the leadership of the 49ers Enterprises at boardroom level and Daniel Farke in the dugout, Leeds have made a steady start to the new season.

However, a 1-0 defeat to Stoke City on Wednesday evening which included a miss from the penalty spot by Patrick Bamford has seen Leeds fall nine points behind second-place Ipswich Town in the race for automatic promotion. The club did make nine new signings over the summer and plenty of players left Elland Road on loan and permanent transfers. One of those to depart was Marc Roca, and by the looks of things, his spell with Real Betis could continue into the 2024/25 season on one condition.

One outlet in Spain shared a Marc Roca transfer update in the last 48 hours, claiming that Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has confidence in the midfielder. It is reported that Roca’s stay at Betis could be extended for another year, should Leeds fail to win promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

Leeds United loan exits

Leeds saw plenty of first-team players exercise clauses in their contracts to leave on loan following relegation, one of which being Roca. The Spanish midfielder, labelled as “impressive” by former Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann, has since gone on to make 12 appearances for the La Liga side, contributing to three goals. (Marc Roca stats – Transfermarkt)

Leeds loan exits

Current club

Marc Roca

Real Betis

Robin Koch

Frankfurt

Max Wober

Borussia Monchengladbach

Brenden Aaronson

Union Berlin

Jack Harrison

Everton

Luis Sinisterra

Bournemouth

Rasmus Kristensen

AS Roma

Diego Llorente

AS Roma

The player’s WhoScored rating has also improved since leaving Yorkshire, showing how he seems to have benefitted from a temporary Elland Road exit, with Roca saying about his return to Spain:

“Obviously it’s always positive to return home. I came through in La Liga. I started my career here and after three years abroad, between Germany and England, I really wanted to come to Betis. I’m very happy and very comfortable on the pitch.”

Therefore, depending on how Leeds get on between now and the end of the campaign, a permanent or another loan move for Roca with Betis could be one to keep an eye on, although the Whites will be hoping to be in a position where they can demand a fee for his services having won promotion under Farke.

Everton haven't done too badly in regard to youth prospects in the last few years. Bringing in youngsters, as well as developing homegrown talents has always been a quiet aspect of the blue part of Merseyside.

Take the long-serving Seamus Coleman as an example, he was signed from Sligo Rovers back in 2009 for just £60,000 and steadily became a Premier League stalwart as well as arguably his country's best right back for a number of years.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin too, developed levels to his game after joining Everton in 2016. More recently, the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite and Ellis Simms have shown that the quality keeps coming in and around Everton's youth department.

With any good youth-orientated club, there's always a metaphorical conveyor belt in action behind the scenes. Thinking far ahead, scouts have to be ready to fill gaps and get players primed to potentially move in for a big player's departure or retirement.

Abdoulaye Doucoure is one such player whose void is going to be hard to miss when he eventually leaves Everton.

Who could replace Doucoure?

Doucoure, 30, joined Everton from Watford in September 2020 for £20m and since then has been a real fan favourite.

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Known for his dexterity across the park and brilliant box-to-box play – Doucoure's sheer determination has rubbed off on Toffees fans even in the toughest of times. Carlo Ancelotti even tipped the now-Mali international for a French cap back when he first arrived at Goodison Park.

Doucoure's performances, as well as a penchant for the odd spectacular goal, has drawn attention from different clubs – especially when he fell out of favour in Frank Lampard's tenure.

Although now, this summer's extension sees the Mali man contracted to Everton until 2024 – back in January there were interested parties in both Turkey and the Middle East.

After Doucoure's 2024 contract expiry, Everton may not look into the transfer market for a midfield replacement. Sean Dyche could have an exciting talent in Tyler Onyango already waiting on that 'conveyor belt' that was mentioned before.

Who is Tyler Onyango?

20-year-old Onyango has been at Everton since signing as a youth in 2011. Moving through the ranks, the midfielder has developed an imposing 6 foot 2 frame and seems similarly posed as the 6-foot Doucoure.

Although first-team options have been relatively drip-fed, Onyango has impressed higher-ups at the club and seen fringe action as well as multiple loan moves to gain experience.

As seen here, some even likened the youngster to Doucoure straight away, feeling he was the natural successor for the position. It's a somewhat sweeping statement, but just how good has Onyango been – and how could he be from what's been seen on loan at multiple League One clubs?

What's next for Tyler Onyango?

Well, it's quite hard to say – as the first loan spell to Burton Albion came to an end after just 16 games when the midfielder was recalled by his parent club and his second loan move at Forest Green Rovers was halted with a hamstring injury.

However, slithers of information from limited showings can reflect some intriguing insights when paired along with Everton's assessment of a youngster known for boasting "impressive stamina" among other key traits.

From FBref, it can be seen that in his 16 appearances for Burton, a side who ended the 2022/23 campaign 15th in League One, there were brief positives.

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While only playing '10.5 90 minutes', Onyango won 14 tackles and made five interceptions. To reiterate, yes these are clearly really extensive stats. Sarcasm aside, it could reflect more on his inconsistency with injury at the time.

However, with consistent key involvement in multiple age groups, as well as five appearances for England U17 back in 2019 – a steady potential boils under the surface.

Everton still clearly values him, even though they await any resemblance to Doucoure-like contributions. Moreover, with his father's native land being Kenya, we could see Onyango come within an international contest when he ultimately makes good on some very formative development.