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Chelsea’s rebuild under Liam Rosenior continues to gather pace following the dramatic departure of Enzo Maresca earlier this month.

The 41-year-old arrived from Strasbourg on a stunning six-and-a-half-year contract and has wasted no time identifying areas which require immediate strengthening in January.

Rosenior faces the challenge of transforming a squad that sits fifth in the Premier League table, 17 points behind leaders Arsenal, and on a run of just two wins from their last 10 games in all competitions.

The Blues have shown flashes of their best, reaching the Carabao Cup semi-finals, beating Barcelona 3-0 on a famous night in Europe and maintaining their charge for Champions League qualification.

However, they’ve been on a torrid run of late, with the largely inexperienced Rosenior now tasked with steadying the ship.

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Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini

The new manager has already made clear his transfer priorities as well, with Chelsea reportedly preparing a substantial £130 million January transfer outlay, which includes a potential move for 2025 summer target Fermin Lopez from Barcelona.

However, the former Hull City boss recognises that defensive solidity must form the foundation of any successful campaign.

Chelsea have looked vulnerable at the back this season, shipping goals at crucial moments and lacking the physical presence required to compete against the Premier League’s more direct opponents.

Taking this into account, Rosenior has now reportedly identified his primary centre-back target for the winter.

Rosenior asks Chelsea to sign Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae

According to reports from Spain, £200,000-per-week Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae has emerged as the leading candidate to bolster Chelsea’s defense.

The South Korea international currently finds himself in an uncomfortable situation at Bayern where playing time has become increasingly scarce in the German giants’ rotation system.

His lack of continuity represents a dramatic fall from grace for a player who joined Bayern with considerable fanfare.

The 29-year-old, who José Mourinho tried to bring to Tottenham when he was manager of the north Londoners, now finds himself facing uncertainty surrounding his future.

Kim has been in and out of the starting eleven this term, but made a solid comeback from injury in a 5-0 friendly win over Salzburg this week to round off Bayern’s post-winter break preparations.

Chelsea view his current situation as a genuine market opportunity, with Rosenior asking Chelsea to target the towering Asian defender.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Chelsea transfer insight Craving deeper transfer and tactical context around Kim Min-jae and Chelsea’s rebuild? Subscribe to the newsletter for clear transfer breakdowns, scouting insight, and tactical perspectives that make sense of the club’s plans and priorities.

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As well as this, it is believed that BlueCo are ready to pay up to £26 million for Kim’s signature this month, while Bayern are open to selling.

The Bavarians will apparently sanction a departure if an acceptable proposal arrives during the window. The Bundesliga champions need to adjust their squad and no longer consider Kim untouchable given his secondary role.

A sale would allow Bayern to free up significant wage space while generating funds, and their willingness to negotiate could encourage Chelsea to pursue a deal, with Rosenior conveying his belief that Kim represents exactly the profile Chelsea require.

The manager wants a physically imposing centre-back with international experience who can dominate aerial duels and provide leadership from the back. Kim’s attributes may align perfectly, and with just two years remaining on his current deal, he could be available for a cheap-ish fee.

Related Chelsea making 'serious' £65m bid for Barcelona star to back Liam Rosenior

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini

While it’s not all been plain sailing, Mikel Arteta has got an awful lot right since taking the Arsenal job six years ago.

One area where he’s seen more success than failure has been transfers.

The likes of Declan Rice, David Raya, Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard and Jurrien Timber have all been transformational additions made to the team under the Spaniard’s stewardship.

However, when it comes to Arteta’s best signing, it’s hard to look past the monstrous Gabriel Magalhães, and if reports are to be believed, Arsenal could soon sign their next version of the centre-back.

Arsenal target their new Gabriel

While most of the team have performed to a great level so far this season – they are top of the league after all – there have been a few real standouts for Arsenal.

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Perhaps the most impressive, alongside Rice, has been Gabriel.

The Brazilian titan has combined his no-nonsense throwback style of defending with an often underappreciated level of technical ability to become arguably Arteta’s most important defender, just ahead of the unreal William Saliba.

On top of his work at the back, he’s also become an even bigger goal threat at the other end of the pitch, be that with his head or, like against the Cherries, with his feet.

With all that said, it’s hardly a surprise to see the club eyeing up another defender who could be their next Gabriel.

At least, that’s according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, which claims Arsenal are among several sides interested in Jeremy Jacquet.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Real Madrid, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are ‘tracking’ the 20-year-old gem.

A potential price for the youngster is not mentioned in the report, but stories from earlier this month stated that £35m could be enough to tempt Stade Rennais into selling amid claims the Gunners had already held initial talks over signing the youngster.

Therefore, it could be a complicated and somewhat costly transfer to get over the line, but given Jacquet’s ability and potential, one Arsenal should be all over, especially as he could be another Gabriel.

Why Jacquet could be another Gabriel

Now, there are, of course, some differences between Jacquet and Gabriel, but there are more than a few similarities between them and their potential transfers.

The first is that, as with the Brazilian in 2020, if the Frenchman were to join the Gunners in January or the summer window, he would be moving from Ligue 1 as a highly rated defensive prospect.

For example, ahead of his move to the Emirates, former LOSC Lille owner Gerard Lopez described the Gunners’ number six as “among the top five dominant central defenders in Europe” and that “he’s an absolute machine.”

Similar things have already been said about the Rennais gem, with respected analyst-turned-scout Ben Mattinson describing him as having “top five centre-back in the world potential” and U23 scout Antonio Mango claiming that “whoever signs him is getting a monster.”

Subscribe to the newsletter for in-depth transfer analysis Get deeper scouting breakdowns by subscribing to our newsletter — stats, scout notes and positional context on transfer targets like Jacquet and how they compare to Gabriel, giving focused coverage and expert analysis of Arsenal’s recruitment.

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Another trait that the “insane CB in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, shares with the North Londoners’ star man is that he’s a colossus at the back while also having real quality on the ball.

For example, FBref rank him in the top 3% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles in the attacking third, the top 4% for interceptions, the top 6% for tackles plus interceptions, the top 12% for key passes, the top 15% for expected assisted goals and more, all per 90.

Finally, as Mattinson highlights, the Frenchman’s “jumping prowess and ability to create separation” helps him to “be dominant in aerial duels and on set-pieces”, which sounds a lot like the Gunners’ Brazilian star.

Jacquet’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.27

Top 3%

Interceptions

1.69

Top 4%

Pass Completion % (Long)

75.1%

Top 5%

Tkl+Int

3.64

Top 6%

Tackles (Mid 3rd)

0.77

Top 11%

Key Passes

0.46

Top 12%

% of Aerials Won

67.6%

Top 14%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.05

Top 15%

Tackles Won

1.23

Top 15%

Tackles

1.95

Top 16%

Successful Take-Ons

0.34

Top 18%

All Stats via FBref

Ultimately, it won’t be easy to get over the line, but Arsenal should do what they can to sign Jacquet, as he looks like a superstar in the making and could be another Gabriel.

Related A Rice repeat: Arsenal make "future England captain" a new primary target

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Eddie Howe will soon know what the complexion of Newcastle United’s season is going to look like after a hectic January is over and done with.

Indeed, in the Premier League alone, the Magpies have a jam-packed schedule to contend with, as five league fixtures come thick and fast.

On top of wrestling with this tricky string of clashes, the Tyneside titans also have the Champions League and the EFL Cup still on their agenda, in a month that has been rightly dubbed as “season-defining” by their manager.

Howe can flesh out his squad more with some January signings, though, as the up-and-down Magpies continue to be linked with a whole host of names, to ensure the intimidating fixture schedule doesn’t swallow them whole.

Newcastle prepared to spend big on midfield signing

Newcastle’s squad has often been stretched to its limits this season, with Lewis Hall unfortunately finding himself in and out of his manager’s starting XI plans, owing to recurring injuries.

To lessen this concern, Newcastle could soon go after rising Toulouse star Dayann Methalie, with reports suggesting that an enquiry will soon be made by the Magpies involving the promising left-back.

Moreover, Howe and Co. could be prepared to splash the cash on AZ Alkmaar midfield sensation Kees Smit, as he remains at the top Newcastle’s list when it comes to potential midfield additions.

This had been reported by the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, with the i Paper further adding fuel to the fire to suggest that if Newcastle are to ‘go big’ for anyone this January, it will be the Dutch midfielder.

The piece notes that while the Magpies are expecting it to be a ‘quiet month’, the situation could change if they feel there is a deal there to be done for Smit.

If Newcastle are prepared to spend big to land the Real Madrid-linked ace, who has been valued at £52m, it could be bad news for Lewis Miley.

Miley is currently starring at St James’ Park, but the competition for midfield spaces would only intensify further with the arrival of the classy 19-year-old.

Why Smit joining would be bad news for Miley

While Newcastle weren’t always at their electric best towards the latter stages of 2025, Miley still managed to stick out, with the homegrown product even bagging his first-ever Champions League goal last month, when placing this header past Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

It wasn’t just this header, though, with the 19-year-old battler also managing to score a last-minute goal in the EFL Cup to send Newcastle to the semi-final stages of the competition.

Moreover, he further looked lively when others downed tools versus Burnley, with four duels won, capping off a brilliant individual month for the teenage sensation, as the December player of the month accolade also fell into his lap.

Still, even with the special number 67 being at the top of his game at the moment, he would find it a lot harder to keep a firm grip on a spot in the main lineup, if Smit were to talk through the door at some stage this month.

Smit vs Miley – League stats (25/26)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Smit

Miley

Games played

15

15

Goals scored

2

1

Assists

2

2

Touches*

62.3

41.3

Accurate passes*

42.7 (89%)

27.8 (89%)

Key passes*

1.7

0.6

Big chances created

3

1

Ball recoveries*

5.6

3.3

Total duels won*

3.3

2.7

Stats by Sofascore

While Miley continues to generate a lot of hype in Newcastle circles exclusively, Smit seems to be the talk of the town in the whole football world this January, with one scout even revealing to TEAMtalk that the 6-foot midfielder is a talent “everyone is watching” at the moment.

Subscribe for in-depth Newcastle transfer analysis Curious how a big signing could reshape Newcastle’s midfield? Subscribe to the newsletter for focused coverage of transfer targets, player comparisons and squad impact – clear, expert analysis that explains what signings mean for players like Miley.

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It’s clear to see why there is so much interest at his door, when taking in the table above, with Smit displaying very few flaws in his well-rounded game in the Eredivisie this season, with more accurate passes averaged by the 19-year-old per 90 minutes than Miley, alongside also displaying more vigour and energy when trumping the Englishman’s ball recovery and duels won numbers.

With a fierce effort up his sleeve, too, seeing content creator Spencer Mossman hail him as a “difference maker” from the middle of the park for Maarten Martens’ side, Smit could well be capable of storming straight into the Newcastle XI without looking out of his depth, with Miley tumbling down the pecking order, subsequently.

After all, Smit looks to be the real deal, already, while Miley arguably needs to fine-tune aspects of his game to be on the same level as the £52m-rated star.

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If, when Russell Domingo started coaching, he had been told he would inherit a Test team at the top of the rankings and limited-overs sides that had suffered because of it, he would have taken it. When such riches rain on you, you do not consider the subsequent drain even if you know that in any functioning sporting system, there has to be one.Player pools change every few years so no matter whether you jump in at the shallow or the deep end, you are joining a cycle. From the shallow side, things will improve as the younger swimmers are schooled, a community is formed and they find their preferred stoke. From the deep end, the seas get rough, not everybody slips into the same stream and the waters begin to empty.What has made Domingo’s tenure so topsy-turvy is that these two processes have happened at the same time. “When I took over, there was a little bit of instability in the T20 and ODI teams and the Test side was very stable. Now, roles have reversed,” he said during his assessment of South Africa’s tour of India on their return home.South Africa came back with a perfect illustration of that. They T20 and ODI trophies were part of their luggage, which will boost their confidence ahead of next year’s World T20, but their nine-year unbeaten run on the road in Test series was broken. The gains of the former may not outweigh the disappointment of the latter, which is why so much focus has fallen on the longer format.”There is a lot of work to do with the Test side,” Domingo admitted. “Let’s not be naive about that. There are a lot of spots that people have questions about.”Some of those questions were answered a day later, when the selectors named their 13 to face England in the first two Tests. They stuck with opener Stiaan van Zyl despite the difficulties he faced in India, but deposed gloveman Dane Vilas. Their reasoning was that van Zyl needs to be tested in home conditions, having only opened in the subcontinent – he was promoted to the job in July for the Bangladesh series – but Vilas, who has also only played on the subcontinent, was superfluous to requirements that actually called for an extra batsman.That Vilas and his nearest rival Quinton de Kock are also batsmen was not part of the thinking because Temba Bavuma, the middle-order man who impressed when thrust into a role at the top, is more of a batsman and batsmen are in the spotlight. Domingo wants them to know their sails have not been ripped off, they have merely been blown a little off course.”As far as I’m concerned, India was a very tough tour for any batter to go on. We’ve got quality in our batting line-up that wasn’t able to showcase their skills under those conditions against those bowlers but that doesn’t make them bad players,” he said. “Those conditions were really extreme as it shows with the stats of the Indian batters as well.”India struggled only a little less than South Africa until Ajinkya Rahane’s twin tons in the Delhi Test. But the reality remains that no South African scored a hundred and only AB de Villiers managed to pass 50. Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis stonewalled impressively later in the series but balls faced and time batted do not count as much as runs. Bavuma showed some promise, Dean Elgar was caught and released a few times but eventually caught and the rest all took the bait the India spinners put out.In general, South Africa approached spin like a fish out of water but Domingo does not think they could have prepared any differently. Their batting consultant Mike Hussey was with them for a week before the first Test but could not stay. There is no word on if he will back before the England series. “We would have loved to have him longer but he had some other commitments so he wasn’t able to stay through the series but he did add a lot of value prior to the series,” Domingo said.Even when he had left, the team used any extra time as productively as they could. “We kept complimenting the players about the extra work they were putting in and the meticulous way they were trying to work on how to play against the Indian spinners,” Domingo said.Their floundering took place in the mind where the constant threat posed by both pitch and opposition players took its toll. “We were always under pressure and that can wear you down, whether it’s physically or mentally,” Domingo said. “I’m sure players’ confidence would have been knocked because we pride ourselves on being good players of spin but the fight that was shown on the last day [in Delhi], shows there’s still some fight left there. It shows that they can do it and these next 10 days will be important to make sure they freshen up and get themselves in the right frame of mind of England.”The quick turnaround has been cited by Domingo and captain Amla as the best way to recover. “We’ve got the ideal break,” Amla said. “Everybody will take a couple of days to rest up and get back into the nets and face the new ball on wickets with a bit of nip.”Home conditions are going to cast a different net over batsmen who will have to prepare for the ball flying past their noses instead of reaching down to smell it but Amla is not worried about how his team will tackle that. “I don’t think it’s a huge adjustment because these are the conditions we are accustomed to,” he said. So, in their own waters, Domingo and Amla are hopeful South Africa’s Test team will become big fish again.

Is Jonty Rhodes soon to be wearing the three lions? © Getty Images

Jonty Rhodes is one of the favourites to become England’s fielding coach as the new management team continues to expand the back room staff. It is hoped the position will be filled by the time the one-day squad meets up again for the seven-match series against India in the second half of August.England dropped three catches during the deciding one-dayer at Trent Bridge on Sunday – two in the outfield by Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, plus one by wicketkeeper Matt Prior – while the ground fielding was caught out by aggressive West Indies running. The boundary sweepers often struggled to collect the ball cleanly while those inside the circle rarely managed any direct hits.”As with the rest of the support team we want the right person to do that job,” said England coach Peter Moores. “When we’ve got the right bloke we can look to bring him in and see how he goes. We have seen that in other specialist positions for coaches.”We are talking about people who could make a genuine difference to international performances – and they don’t always grow on trees. If we get a fielding coach we want him to influence fielding in England not just at England level.”Rhodes, who was famous for his work at backward point in his career, has previously held a similar post with South Africa and Pakistan. His former team-mate Allan Donald is currently England’s bowling coach until the end of the Twenty20 World Championships.

Eden Park is set to get a major facelift © Photosport

Renovation work at Eden Park has meant that Auckland Cricket will have to shift from its home base for the first time in 103 years. The stadium, which hosts international cricket and rugby matches, is set to undergo a NZ$320 million facelift in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.Traditionally, Auckland play their domestic games at the Eden Park Outer Oval adjacent to the main stadium. However, the Oval will not be in a position to host any matches, with the construction work likely to affect the surrounding areas. International cricket will continue to be played at Eden Park, despite the renovation.According to a report in , Auckland are close to formalising an arrangement with the Eden Park Trust Board (EPTB) – which manages the venue – regarding the shift, but the search for a suitable alternative venue is proving to be difficult, as each has its share of merits and demerits. The possible venues include the University grounds at the Merton Road campus, Melville Park behind the Teachers’ College in Epsom, Western Springs and North Harbour Stadium at Albany.”We are in negotiations with the Eden Park Trust Board,” Brent King, Cricket Auckland’s chairman said. “We’re seeking a way in which we can continue to work with the EPTB and have a ground that’s appropriate for Auckland Cricket.”We are looking at a number of grounds and like anything in life they have benefits and detriments. Some of them are perfect grounds but poorly located. All these things are incredibly testing for everybody. Everyone has their opinions on what is most important.”North Shore City, another likely venue, has indicated that it would be keen to host games. “We have been in a dialogue with Auckland Cricket for the greater part of the year,” Brendan O’Connor, the stadium’s chief executive said. “They’re not just talking to us, they’re talking to other potential venues as well. It hasn’t got to the formal negotiation point yet.”

For the first time, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will running a Level One coaching course, for the fixed price of Rs.5000 (£50).The course will take place at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore, from November 29 to December 3, and will be conducted by qualified foreign coaches. The PCB will award certificates to those who successfully complete the course.Those wishing to participate should send their names and a cheque payable to the PCB, to the Administrator Academies, National Cricket Academy, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore by November 10 at the latest.

Omar Henry: still in charge© WPCA

Omar Henry, South Africa’s convenor of selectors, kept his job today – although the board of Cricket South Africa streamlined the selection panel, which now consists of four members rather than the previous six. Henry will be joined on the panel by Gary Kirsten, who was named today as South Africa’s new high-performance manager; Eric Simons, the national coach; and one other selector, who will be announed shortly after nominations are received from the new provincial franchises.The four selectors will choose the squads for overseas tours and home Tests, but the make-up of the final XIs will be left to the coach and the captain, Graeme Smith, who was reappointed for another year in charge.Kirsten’s appointment to the new post of high-performance manager carries a two-year contract. Kirsten, South Africa’s most-capped player, will take responsibility for identifying and guiding young cricketers who show potential to play for the national team. He will work closely with the six provincial coaches, and will assist with the development of the players on both the technical and mental levels.The meeting also considered the case of Diteko Modise, the UCB’s former finance and administration manager, who has appeared for remand on criminal fraud charges. The board recommended that Cricket South Africa’s audit committee review the completed forensic audit report into Mr Modise’s allegedfinancial irregularities. The UCB has successfully applied to have his assets frozen.Before the meeting started, the board members observed a minute’s silence in memory of Krish Mackerdhuj, the former United Cricket Board president, who died in Durban on Wednesday morning.

India’s scheduled tour of Pakistan next month was conclusively called off after Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Jagmohan Dalmiya stated that the team would not be able to undertake the tour because of a government ban on bilateral cricket series with Pakistan.”It is known to everybody that the government is against bilateral cricketties with Pakistan,” Dalmiya told the Press Trust of India (PTI).”We had sought permission for the team to travel to Pakistan but have been told that the government’s position remains unchanged,” explained SK Nair, BCCI secretary. “The government has informed us that the security scenario in Pakistan is not conducive for an Indian tour.”Following that announcement, Pakistan for its part pulled out of a scheduled tour to India next year. “BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya informed us that though they were willing to tour Pakistan, the Indian government has not given them the approval,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson Samiul Hassan told PTI in Islamabad.According to the 10-year Test schedule drawn up by the International Cricket Council (ICC), India and Pakistan are scheduled to play four bilateral series until 2010.

Sachin Tendulkar is expected to be fit for India’s tour of SouthAfrica, starting on October 1, the doctor, who is treating themaestro’s foot injury, said on Tuesday."He (Sachin) should recover from his foot injury by the end ofSeptember. I am hopeful that he will be ready to go to South Africa,”Anant Joshi told NDTV in an interview for Star News.Tendulkar had to miss out on the current Sri Lanka tour due to a footfracture which he suffered during India’s recent Zimbabwe tour.”We will take another CT scan after three to four weeks to see how thehealing is progressing,” Joshi said adding that in the meantime theywill also work on protected footwear so that when he gets back therewere no chances of his again getting injured.Normally any injury of a lower limb takes four to six weeks to join orgum up and another four to six weeks to really consolidate and becomestrong enough to take pressure, Joshi said while describingTendulkar’s injury as “fracture of great toe of the right foot.”However, he said in case of players like Tendulkar, who areoptimistic, the recovery was fast.Asked if the injury was due to overdose of cricket, the doctor said”no”. “In Sachin’s case it has nothing to do with overdose of cricket.It is a plain simple accident which could happen to anybody.”Describing his injury as “temporary halt”, Tendulkar said “if I am fitI would like to go tomorrow and play the Test match. I am just keepingmy fingers crossed and hope it will get better as soon as possible andget back to action. What else I can do?”Expressing his eagerness to play against South Africa, Tendulkar said,”South Africa is one of the top sides and I am looking forward to gothere and play against them. I hope to get back in action as soon aspossible.”About the pressure from the public for being away from the game, thebatting maestro said “Sometimes it is difficult to answer each andevery individual but I totally understand their feelings. I feel happythat people are concerned about me and want me to get back to action.All I can say is I am trying my best.”Asked if he thought too much cricket was resulting in injuries among alot of players, Tendulkar said “I don’t want to say that we haveplayed a lot of cricket and that’s why there were so many injuries.But at the same time I would like to play some amount of cricketprovided there are some breaks in between. This help players recoverand recharge their batteries. They can also spend some time with thefamilies and go out to play with a fresh mind. And even sitting athome, one can analyse his game and get better.”Though it was a forced break, Tendulkar said he enjoyed each and everymoment of it with his family. "It was a different feeling altogetherto have breakfast with my son in his school which would not have beenpossible, if I would not have got injured,” he said.