Chelsea transfer and news summary: Pochettino’s future, Palmer’s suspension, and Christopher Nkunku’s goal
Get all the most recent Chelsea transfer rumors, news, and injury updates during the day as the Blues get ready for their Premier League match on Christmas Eve versus Wolves.
It’s the big day! When Chelsea plays Wolves at Molineux this afternoon in their first Premier League game on Christmas Eve in 28 years, they have the opportunity to win three straight for the second time under Mauricio Pochettino.
Some of the Blues’ most important players won’t be traveling with them, though, as Enzo Fernandez is out of the match after being seen sobbing on the field after the team’s victory over Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup quarterfinal.
The Argentine midfielder’s hernia issue was diagnosed at the same time as club captain Reece James had his hamstring operated on following an injury he sustained against Everton two weeks prior. After the match against the Magpies, Levi Colwill raised some concerns, but after being spotted participating in first team practice this week, he appears to be healthy and ready to go.
Despite the criticism, there is some positive news for the Blues leading up to the game. Notably, summer acquisition Christopher Nkunku impressed supporters with his outstanding cameo in midweek, giving them a taste of what he can expect from his debut Premier League game this Saturday against Gary O’Neil’s team.
Having said that, stick around at football.london as we bring you all the news you need to know as it happens LIVE from Molineux.
Sterling is also gone!
When Chelsea plays Crystal Palace in the Premier League, Raheem Sterling will be sidelined. The 2-1 loss to Wolves at Molineux resulted in the England international’s fifth booking of the year.
Late in the game, as the Blues pushed for an equalizer, Sterling was given a yellow card for simulation. Cole Palmer, a former Manchester City player, will miss the match versus Palace after receiving his fifth yellow card of the campaign.
Palmer halted
A serious setback has been given to Mauricio Pochettino ahead of Chelsea’s matchup with Crystal Palace. On Wednesday night, the Blues and Eagles will square off at Stamford Bridge with the goal of each team moving up the Premier League during the holiday season.
Chelsea will be keen to score, but they will be up against Roy Hodgson’s team without Cole Palmer. The 21-year-old midfielder will now face a one-match suspension after receiving his fifth yellow card in the first 19 games of the English Premier League this season.
Forgotten star spotted in training After missing all of this season’s games due to injury, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah has been sighted back in training. Before his year was interrupted, the 24-year-old had captained the team throughout the preseason and filled a variety of backline positions, including right-back and center-back.
Chalobah established himself as a vital member of the American summer touring team, assuming a somewhat senior role in a group that included teenage additions, younger Cobham aspirants, and new recruits. He was a halftime substitute against Brighton, made his debut a few days later against Newcastle, started the 5-0 victory against Wrexham, and made his final appearance in the victory over Fulham.
Sesko move evaluation
Chelsea’s chances of acquiring a striker in the forthcoming transfer window have been significantly enhanced. Since Victor Osimhen has been strongly linked to a move to the Premier League for some time, clubs may have to look into other possibilities in January as Napoli looks to lock down their star to a new contract.
Ninetymin claims that Newcastle, United, Arsenal, and Chelsea have all been keeping an eye on Benjamin Sesko. The 20-year-old, who joined RB Leipzig from Salzburg, a sister club, in the summer, has made just three starts in the Bundesliga so far this year, often starting behind Lois Openda.
According to the report, middlemen have informed all interested Premier League teams—including the Blues—that the Slovenian international may be available in January. The young player reportedly wants more playing time as he gets ready for the summer’s European championships. According to reports, a financing arrangement with a purchase requirement has been discussed as a possible solution.
Found an alternative for Silva?
As Mauricio Pochettino starts to search for a Thiago Silva replacement, Chelsea has reportedly contacted Sporting about a possible transfer for Ousmane Diomande, according to the Evening Standard. According to the report, the Blues have designated the 20-year-old defender as one of their top transfer targets for the upcoming month.
The Portuguese powerhouses are rumored to have rejected Chelsea’s initial inquiry, citing his £69 million release clause. Twenty percent of Sporting’s earnings, should they choose to acquire Diomande, will go toward paying the Ivorian’s previous team, Midtjylland.
Read football.london’s analysis of this decision.
Werner heading to Villa?
The likelihood of Manchester United acquiring Timo Werner has been severely damaged. Unai Emery is keen to strengthen his front line, and according to The Sun, Aston Villa has joined the Red Devils in the competition to acquire the former Chelsea striker in the summer.
RB Leipzig is prepared to let Werner leave the team on loan in January, according to The Daily Mail. The Germany international may be brought in as an emergency signing because Erik ten Hag’s team is in desperate need of a new striker as Rasmus Hojlund has failed to net in the Premier League.
View the assessment of that move by football.london.
How to watch soccer.You can get all the information you need to witness the game in the Black Country from London.
When is Chelsea vs. Wolves?
The game is scheduled to begin from Molineux, Wolverhampton, at 1pm. After six matches yesterday, this is the only Premier League game that will be played today.
Is Chelsea vs. Wolves on TV?
Thankfully, fans can watch the game if they can break away from spending Christmas Eve with their families. Supporters in the UK will be able to watch the match on Sky Sports Main Events and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage beginning at 12 p.m.
For additional information, read the entire story.
Complete team disclosed
For Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino, that’s one step forward and still several steps back. Despite the fact that after a difficult November and early December, results have essentially stabilized, the Blues are still under a lot of pressure to deal Wolves holiday injuries.
Chelsea must produce consistent performances in the upcoming weeks, as the distance between them and eighth-place Manchester United and ninth-place Brighton is already five points as of the start of the game. Throughout this time, the schedule has also been kind to them.
The competition they will face on December 27 at Crystal Palace is far less intimidating on paper than it could have been, despite the fact that they will have two fewer days to prepare. However, Pochettino will contend that even with these unfavorable circumstances, his team is still losing players like fleas.
See the story in its entirety here.
Pochettino’s grievance
Chelsea’s Christmas schedule is packed with activities, starting with a match against Wolves on Sunday. The Blues travel to the Midlands in an attempt to win back-to-back Premier League games and to turn around a dismal away record that includes losses to Newcastle, Manchester United, and Everton.
The team and coaching staff will return to practice on December 25th to get ready for Crystal Palace on December 27th, regardless of the outcome, the rush home to enjoy Christmas, and Mauricio Pochettino’s attempt to commemorate a delayed wedding anniversary with his wife.
See the story in its entirety here.
Against Wolves, Mykhailo Mudryk begins while Pochettino considers two choices to replace Enzo Fernandez.
Mauricio Pochettino will once again have to make changes to Chelsea’s starting lineup due to the Blues’ injury list when they travel to Wolves on Christmas Eve to kick off the holiday season. The latest player that the west London team would be without is Enzo Fernandez, as Pochettino announced the World Cup champion would not be playing at Molineux.
The 22-year-old was unable to finish Chelsea’s Carabao Cup victory over Newcastle United in the first half. Pochettino at the time blamed it on illness, but Fernandez was seen crying after the game.
But it appears Fernandez has a longer-lasting problem that needs to be addressed. But Pochettino doesn’t appear very worried that it will take a long time to resolve.
Click here to read the entire story.
Current Chelsea injury updates and return schedules before their match against Wolves
Mauricio Pochettino will aim to get Chelsea fans in the holiday spirit early when they travel to Molineux to play Wolves this afternoon. There is now just one sleep left till Christmas.
The Blues will be looking to carry over the momentum from their midweek penalty shootout victory against Newcastle United into their first-ever Premier League Christmas Eve matchup since 1995.
away from Wolves since 2019.
But in order to achieve that, they’ll have to do it without Enzo Fernandez, the master of midfield, who Pochettino ruled out of this weekend’s game earlier this week due to a hernia issue he sustained against Newcastle. Having said that, football.london has examined the most recent information from the treatment room.
Nkunku’s choice—the Chelsea squad It is Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to reject Wolves.
Chelsea supporters will feel mostly upbeat heading into Christmas if the team wins three points at Molineux on Sunday. It will mean three straight victories in all competitions, even though one of them came via penalties.
On Christmas Eve, Pochettino might be persuaded to partly rotate his team in the west Midlands. With Chelsea playing Wolves, Crystal Palace, and Luton Town in a six-day span, Pochettino will probably need to extend his team in the coming week as the Blues’ injury issue is steadily improving.
Having said that, Bobby Vincent and Scott Trotter, two writers for football.london covering Chelsea, argue about who they would pick for the crucial journey to Molineux. If you agree with anyone, please let us know in the comments area below.
Clear Ten Hag dismissal decision with price reduction following Pochettino ruling
After his team was soundly defeated by West Ham at the London Stadium this afternoon, Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, is currently the clear favorite to become the next Premier League manager to resign.
Following an inconsistent first half of the season at Old Trafford, the Red Devils suffered their eighth league loss of the year thanks to goals from Mohamed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen in the second half. This dropped them to eighth place in the standings. In spite of recent funding from British billionaire Sir
Jim Ratcliffe, fans have low expectations because the Dutch manager has stated time and time again that victories are on the horizon.
Following a miserable Champions League campaign in which they finished bottom of their group following defeats to Bayern Munich, Copenhagen, and Galatasaray, Ten Hag is now the odds-on favorite to be fired next by Betfair, having dropped from 6/5 to 17/20 before the West Ham loss.
Osimhen inks new contract
The January transfer window intentions of Chelsea were severely hampered when Victor Osimhen, a striker for Napoli, inked a new agreement with the Serie A team.
The Nigerian international’s new contract has an expiration date of 2026. Arsenal and Chelsea were expected to compete for his signature beginning in the new year. Ivan Toney, the striker for Brentford, will now be the center of attention as he has been vocal about his winter travel plans.
In January, both teams sought to acquire both attackers; but, because one is now obviously more available than the other, it appears that the Blues may need to reevaluate their priorities.
