Category: Premier League

Man City star De Bruyne to miss 3-4 months with hamstring injury

The Belgium star may not play again until 2024

Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne is set to miss up to four months with a hamstring injury, head coach Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday.

De Bruyne initially injured his right hamstring in June’s Champions League final against Inter, coming off in the first half of a game City would eventually win 1-0.

After spending the summer working his way back to fitness, De Bruyne suffered a recurrence of the injury in last week’s Premier League opener against Burnley.

At a press conference before Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla, Guardiola confirmed the Belgian’s injury was severe and may require surgery.

“Kevin De Bruyne’s injury is serious one. He will be out for a few months,” Guardiola said. “We have to decide in the next days on surgery but for sure we lose Kevin for some time. We will decide in the next days. Surgery is surgery — three or four months out.

“The injury for Kevin is a blow, a big loss. He has specific qualities. For a long time is really tough for us. We have to look forward. We have alternatives. Kevin is irreplaceable, but we have talented players. They will take it.”

Guardiola denied that he and his staff rushed the 32-year-old back too quickly, saying: “We could say don’t play but this injury could happen later. Before I took the decision I spoke to the doctor, the physio and him. He said he felt good.”

De Bruyne scored 10 goals and added 31 assists last season as City won the treble, clinching the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

With two weeks left until the transfer window closes, Guardiola said City may look to bring in another player to help replace De Bruyne.

As if City will try to make a signing, Guardiola said: “We will see. After what happened we will see the possibilities.”

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The 10 most-expensive Premier League transfers ever

Counting down the 10 most-expensive Premier League transfers of all time

The Premier League is the richest league on earth and in recent years, that has been on full display with some astronomical transfer fees being shelled out.

The league’s incoming transfer record has been broken multiple times in the past few years, with the “big five” consistently looking to outspend one another.

Chelsea, in fact, has broken the record twice in 2023 alone: first with Argentina star Enzo Fernández and then later with Ecuador midfielder Moisés Caicedo.

Let’s take a look at the 10 most-expensive inbound transfers in Premier League history. Keep an eye on this list, because it’s likely to feature more new names as time goes by.

All figures are from Transfermarkt.

Turner admits he was looking for a way out of Arsenal

The USMNT goalkeeper made just seven appearances in his lone season with the Gunners

Matt Turner says that Arsenal made it clear to him: If he wanted to play, he was going to have to leave.

Following just one season with the Gunners, the U.S. national team’s starting goalkeeper departed last week in a transfer to Nottingham Forest that could be worth up to £10 million.

Just days after completing the move, Turner made his Premier League debut in a familiar place. Coincidentally, Forest’s opening game of the season was away to Arsenal, with Steve Cooper’s side falling 2-1 after first-half goals from Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka.

Turner made just seven appearances in his lone season with Arsenal, serving as Aaron Ramsdale’s backup. At 29 years old, the USMNT No. 1 isn’t in a place where he can afford to wait around too long for playing time. Speaking to ESPN, Turner said he began to look for a way out of Arsenal after an offseason conversation with club hierarchy.

“I think for me it was something that was definitely on my mind,” he said. “I wanted to go and play and find places to play, but at the end of last season when I brought that up it very much seemed like it wasn’t on the cards from conversations with the front office, staff members.

“If there was ever a league in Europe that I wanted to play in it was this one, so it’s been a goal of mine to prove myself in the Premier League and hopefully I can do that for 37 more games.”

AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Turner was clear-eyed about his debut season, admitting that he didn’t feel he did enough to surpass Ramsdale as the club’s starter — though he was satisfied with his performances when given an opportunity.

Asked if he regretted not playing more at Arsenal, Turner said: “Sure, but obviously I didn’t do enough to earn that so I’m self-aware enough. I thought I did well in the opportunities that I had to play.

“But again, the team is at the top of the table for most of the season and when that’s the case you don’t really change the goalkeeper very much.”

Still, Turner said he was happy with his experience in north London, saying it helped him become the USMNT’s starter at the 2022 World Cup and has led to him getting a shot to start in the Premier League.

“It helped me to become number one for the national team and play in the World Cup and that was always the goal,” he said, “and now I’ve found myself playing in the Premier League at another club.”

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Fans react to thrilling draw between Chelsea and Liverpool

Here’s what fans are saying about Chelsea vs. Liverpool.

Chelsea and Liverpool met in the biggest game of the Premier League’s opening weekend on Sunday at Stamford Bridge, and for the seventh consecutive game the English giants played to a draw in regulation.

Liverpool started well and were inches away from going up 2-0 inside of 30 minutes. Mohamed Salah created the opening goal with a sublime pass to Luis Diaz, who finished into an open net. 10 minutes later, Salah thought he had doubled Liverpool’s advantage with a goal of his own, but it was overturned by VAR.

Chelsea responded quickly though newcomer Axel Disasi, who scored on his team debut. Just three minutes later, Chelsea had a Ben Chilwell goal overturned by VAR by a similar margin.

Outside of the opening 15 minutes, Chelsea controlled much of the game, held possession, and generated the better chances going forward – yet the Blues were unable to best Virgil van Dijk’s Liverpool defense.

There was a controversial VAR decision early in the second half as the ball struck Nicolas Jackson’s hand in the penalty area, but as his arm was not extended away from his body, no penalty was given.

Mohamed Salah was taken off in the 77th minute and made it clear he was unhappy with manager Jürgen Klopp’s decision, dramatically ripping the tape off his hands and throwing it around the field as he walked off.

Liverpool sprang back to life after Klopp made changes, and Chelsea had a late chance through a break from Jackson, but neither team could break the deadlock.

Here’s what fans and analysts were saying after Sunday’s big match:

Chelsea 2023 roster and salaries

See the full Chelsea squad for 2023.

After a disappointing campaign in 2022 left English powerhouse Chelsea outside of Champions League position, the London club made sweeping changes for the new year, welcoming manager Mauricio Pochettino and a long list of new players to the squad.

Chelsea’s Premier League season will begin on August 13th against Liverpool.

See the top 25 highest-paid Premier League players in 2023-24.

Scroll down to see the full Chelsea squad for 2023. All salary information via Capology.

Arsenal unkind to Matt Turner as USMNT keeper makes Nottingham Forest debut

Not the kindest welcome back

Matt Turner came back to the Emirates Stadium, but Arsenal wasn’t in the mood to treat him all that kindly.

Just three days ago, the U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper completed a $12.7 million move from north London to Nottingham Forest in pursuit of playing time, only to find himself facing his old club immediately.

Forest’s first match of the Premier League season, a trip to Arsenal, was not a favorable one for a team that only just barely avoided relegation last season. In that context, a 2-1 away defeat really isn’t all that bad.

However, for Turner — plugged immediately into the lineup by manager Steve Cooper — it would have been some kind of dream to walk back into his old digs and put one over on a club that never gave him a shot in Premier League play.

That wasn’t meant to be, with Arsenal scoring one goal through some good fortune, and the other through unstoppable skill. In other words, a goalkeeper’s nightmare.

First, the luck. Gabriel Martinelli’s spinning pass was a piece of genius, and Eddie Nketiah’s cut inside was incisive. What followed, though, was cruel for Turner: Nketiah’s shot towards the far post — where Turner was just starting to dive — glanced off of Joe Worrall and skewed instead back where the USMNT No. 1 had come from.

Goals like that are torture for goalkeepers, but maybe Turner will think a bit less about what was to follow. It’s one thing to have a shot deflect just barely out of your reach, and another to see Bukayo Saka score a world-class curler from 20-plus yards. There’s just not much Turner or anyone else could do on a shot like this one.

It wasn’t all bad for Turner, who did well to deny Declan Rice three different times. The second was particularly tricky, as Rice’s low shot got through traffic and clipped Worrall, but the former Arsenal ‘keeper still managed to tip it wide.

Turner made five saves in all, and will likely enjoy a few days to get settled into life in Nottingham before focusing on Forest’s next match. In its own way, it’s a big one: home against Sheffield United in what looks like a clash between two teams who will need every point they can get to stay up.

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Reports: Chelsea casts Adams aside amid Caicedo pursuit 

It appears USMNT captain won’t be heading to Stamford Bridge after all

Tyler Adams isn’t going to be joining Chelsea after all.

Widespread reports on Thursday said that Chelsea would be activating a $25.5 million clause in Adams’ contract to bring the U.S. men’s national team captain in from Leeds.

But the following day, Sky Sports News reported that the deal was off at the last minute, with other outlets subsequently confirming the news.

The 24-year-old had already traveled to London and completed a medical but by Friday afternoon, he was on his way back to Leeds.

The issue, it seems, stems from the seemingly never-ending saga of Brighton’s Moisés Caicedo, who has been involved in a tug-of-war between Chelsea and Liverpool for his signature.

Liverpool looked to have won the race, with manager Jurgen Klopp even confirming on Friday that an agreement between the two clubs had been reached for the Ecuador midfielder.

Typically if a manager is ready to publicly confirm that a deal has been struck, that’s just about the end of the story. But this soap opera appears to have a few more twists — and Adams looks like he’ll be collateral damage.

The Guardian said that even after Liverpool saw a $140 million offer accepted by Brighton, Chelsea was still trying to hijack the move at the last minute by bidding even more. That, in turn, has seen the Blues turn their focus away from Adams.

Where that leaves the USMNT captain now is unclear.

Adams has been subject to plenty of Premier League interest following Leeds’ relegation last season, and he still has almost three weeks to find a new club before the transfer window closes.

If Adams does find a transfer, he’ll join his new club not fully fit. Sidelined since March with a hamstring injury, Leeds head coach Daniel Farke said last month he didn’t expect the midfielder back until after the September international break.

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Chelsea reportedly on brink of $25.5m Tyler Adams transfer

Adams could be back in the Premier League any day now

Tyler Adams is close to remaining in the Premier League after all.

Reports from Sky Sports, Fabrizio Romano, and ESPN all claim that Chelsea will meet a $25.5 million clause in Adams’ contract with Leeds to bring the 24-year-old to London.

The reports all say that Adams will undergo a medical exam Thursday, with at least some hope that the Blues could have the U.S. men’s national team captain registered in time to face Liverpool on Sunday.

Adams is said to have a relegation release clause in his contract with Leeds, and had been previously linked to interest from Aston Villa and Brighton. If Chelsea can meet the price and Adams wants to make the move, there is little Leeds can do to keep one of its best players.

Still, Adams making the move is not 100% straightforward. His Chelsea medical will surely focus on a hamstring injury he suffered in March, keeping Adams out for the remainder of Leeds’ unsuccessful battle against the drop. His current club manager Daniel Farke said in July that he didn’t expect Adams — who at one point underwent a “non-invasive” surgery to address the issue — to be fit to return until after the September international break.

Adams could claim big role at Chelsea

Last season, a move to Chelsea was the kind of thing one would recommend people avoid. A chaotic season saw four different coaches come and go amid a “buy every player” transfer policy under the new ownership group lead by American businessman Todd Boehly. There’s no other way to put it other than to say it was a mess.

However, this offseason has seen the Blues address those problems to some degree. Mauricio Pochettino has taken over after Frank Lampard’s abysmal spell as interim manager, and plenty of players (including Adams’ USMNT teammate Christian Pulisic) have left, bringing Chelsea’s squad size closer to what someone could call “normal” with a straight face.

Those exits have opened the door to a need in central midfield. N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic have both left Stamford Bridge, while Denis Zakaria has returned to Juventus after spending a season on loan with Chelsea.

That leaves a fairly thin group of defensive midfielders. Pochettino has largely played a 4-2-3-1 formation, meaning a player like Adams could see plenty of time.

Enzo Fernández and Conor Gallagher would seem to be his main competition, though the club did spend around $29.7 million to sign another holding midfielder, Lesley Oguchukwu, from Rennes earlier this month. 19-year-old Brazilian Andrey Santos is also back in the fold after spending a year on loan with Vasco da Gama.

That said, Chelsea may not be done spending at this position, because they’re Chelsea. The Blues have been strongly linked to Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, though that deal hinges on both meeting a $126.7 million valuation for the Ecuador midfielder and also, per Sky Sports, fending off interest from Liverpool.

The Athletic has also reported that Chelsea made a $60.9 million offer to Southampton for Roméo Lavia, another central midfielder that the Blues and Liverpool both have hopes of signing.

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USMNT goalkeeper Slonina joins KAS Eupen on loan from Chelsea

The 19-year-old will spend the 2023-24 season on loan in Belgium

Chelsea and U.S. national team goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina has completed a season-long loan to Belgian side KAS Eupen.

Slonina, 19, is looking to earn his first taste of senior minutes in Europe, having initially signed for Chelsea last August from the Chicago Fire in a reported $10 million deal.

After finishing the 2022 MLS season with the Fire, Slonina moved to London in January and made eight starts for Chelsea’s U-21 side.

The teenager is highly rated at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino saying last week the American could become one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

“It is a unique opportunity for KAS Eupen to sign a goalkeeper with the talent and class of Gabriel Slonina for a season,” said the Belgian club’s general director Christoph Henkel.

“After all, some top European clubs were also interested in his commitment before he moved to Chelsea. We look forward to working with Gabriel Slonina and are confident that he will bring strength to our team and help us achieve this season’s goals.”

Slonina went on Chelsea’s preseason tour of the U.S. this summer, and made his senior debut for the club against Fulham at FedEx Field on July 30.

The teenager also made his senior international debut this year, becoming the youngest USMNT goalkeeper ever when he started a January friendly against Serbia.

Eupen has already started the 2023-24 season in the Belgian Pro League, winning one and drawing one from its first two matches.

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Matt Turner to Nottingham Forest seems perfect, except for one minor thing

Turner needed to escape Arsenal to get minutes, but nothing will be guaranteed at Forest

Matt Turner’s time at Arsenal is over after just one year, with the U.S. national team goalkeeper completing a transfer to Nottingham Forest reportedly worth up to £10 million.

Turner has signed a four-year deal with the Premier League side.

“When I heard that there was interest to bring me here, it just felt right for my family, it felt right when my agent spoke to me about it and it feels like the right move for me right now,” the 29-year-old told the club’s website.

For Turner, getting out of Arsenal was a must if he wanted any semblance of playing time this season. His debut season in north London saw him make just seven appearances, five of which came in the Europa League. With the Gunners in the Champions League this season, Turner’s minutes were likely to be reduced even more.

At Forest, Turner will undoubtedly have a clearer path to playing time than he did at Arsenal. But he may not have an unchallenged starting spot waiting for him either.

Multiple reports have said that irrespective of Turner’s arrival, Forest is still pursuing a move for Manchester United’s Dean Henderson.

That could be bad news for Turner, as Henderson impressed with Forest last season on loan before an injury cut his season short. Steve Cooper’s side may have to pay even more than it did for Turner to secure Henderson on a permanent basis.

If Henderson does arrive, it appears he and Turner will be in a battle for the starting role. That’s certainly an improvement over last season, when Turner was the unquestioned backup to Aaron Ramsdale, but it also means he’s not guaranteed to play a whole lot more at his new club than he did with Arsenal.

Another strange wrinkle to this deal is the presence of Turner’s USMNT teammate Ethan Horvath at Forest. After helping Luton Town to promotion last season, the newly minted Premier League club turned down the chance to sign Horvath permanently. Turner’s arrival at Forest will now help push Horvath even closer to the exit door.

For Turner, Horvath and any other goalkeeper who wishes to start for the USMNT (ahem, Zack Steffen), minutes are a must. Turner has made a positive step in that direction, but he’ll still have to earn his place as a Premier League starter.

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