Chelsea
Maresca Falls Ill, Caballero Explains Palmer Substitution and Caicedo Suspension
Maresca withdrew unwell; Caballero addressed Palmer substitutions, Caicedo suspension and squad care
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca did not attend the postmatch press conference after Tuesday’s 2–2 draw with Bournemouth, asking assistant Willy Caballero to speak after feeling unwell. The decision followed Maresca’s substitution of Cole Palmer around the hour mark, a move that drew audible frustration from the stands and a chant of, “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
Caballero told reporters why he was representing the manager. “He didn’t feel well the last two days,” he said. “He had a temperature two days ago, he did do the last two sessions because he wanted to prepare the team for this game. But after the game, he went to the changing room and he asked me to replace him because he didn’t feel well. That’s the only thing I can tell you.”
On Maresca’s approach to his work, Caballero added: “He’s dealing well because he’s very professional. He invests a lot of hours every single day, even though the last two days he was feeling bad. He is an example for me and for all of the staff.”
Palmer, recently declared fit to play 90 minutes after overcoming a lengthy groin injury, has instead been substituted in both of his last two outings, lasting 72 minutes against Aston Villa and 63 minutes against Bournemouth. Against Villa he was visibly unhappy when withdrawn; this time he left the pitch without public protest and applauded the fans. “Of course, any supporter wants to have their best players on the pitch and we want to have the best players on the pitch as well,” Caballero reflected. “But Cole is coming from a long injury so in this case, we need to find the right substitutions to go for the game and also to take care of the health of our players, because we want to have them for the long period and for the rest of the season in every single game.”
The positive for Chelsea is that Palmer does not appear to have aggravated his injury and should be free to start the next outing against Manchester City on Jan. 4. The club will also be without Moisés Caicedo after his suspension, a decision Caballero questioned. “We are very frustrated because it was the first foul of the game and it was close to us,” he said. “We looked at the foul more than once and it doesn’t look like a yellow. But it’s done now so we’re going to miss a very important player. We will need to start to think who will be the player that replaces Moi and, of course it’s a big loss, but it’s the same as when we miss Cole, when we miss Liam [Delap], when we miss any player, because all of them are very important for us.”
Chelsea
Chelsea’s transfer balancing act: who could leave from Alonso’s available list
Chelsea are weighing up exits as Alonso reshapes a crowded squad and sets new priorities.
Xabi Alonso has already made one theme central to his first transfer window at Chelsea: balance. That word has framed the way he views a squad that still contains certain untouchables, but also a notable group of players who have been left off the club’s protected list.
That does not mean Chelsea are forcing anyone out. It means those players have been placed on the market at agreed prices, with The Athletic reporting that the total value of talent available could reach $600 million (£445 million). In a squad as crowded as this one, the question is not whether moves are possible, but which departures make the most sense.
Axel Disasi is among the clearest examples. He has not played a competitive match for Chelsea since January 2025 and has spent the last 18 months on loan in claret and blue. A return to West Ham United on a permanent basis could be available, although Chelsea’s asking price may prove difficult to meet. Even so, any fee approaching half of the $52 million they paid Monaco would represent a strong return.
Marc Guiu also looks like a player the club could be prepared to cash in on, while Benoît Badiashile appears to have reached the point where a sale would suit both sides. If Napoli were to offer more than $40 million for the defender, Chelsea would likely take notice.
Liam Delap’s situation is different. He started poorly and never quite recovered, but there is still interest from several Premier League clubs. Chelsea do not have the room to keep him in a forward line that is already crowded, especially without European football. A loan or a sale with a buy-back clause would protect the club’s position.
Nicolas Jackson remains harder to dismiss. His goal contribution rate and underlying numbers still point to a striker who consistently finds good positions, even if his finishing and discipline remain issues.
Malo Gusto and Pedro Neto are also under review. Chelsea would consider strong offers for both, particularly if a system is chosen that reduces Neto’s natural role. For now, the club’s challenge is to trim the squad without weakening it too far.
Aston Villa
Garnacho’s social post after Aston Villa debut raises eyebrows over Chelsea exit
Garnacho marked his Aston Villa debut with an Instagram post that many read as a Chelsea dig.
Alejandro Garnacho’s first outing for Aston Villa quickly became a talking point after the winger appeared to aim a subtle message at Chelsea on social media.
Garnacho featured in Aston Villa’s 3-1 win over the Indonesia All-Stars as Unai Emery’s side opened their preseason schedule. It was his debut for the club, and he used Instagram afterwards to reflect on the occasion with a line many interpreted as a pointed reference to his former team.
“First start in three months,” Garnacho wrote on Instagram. “Happy to be enjoying football again, 1% every day. Thanks Indonesia!”
The post followed a season in which he did not start any of Chelsea’s final five Premier League matches and scored only once in the league, making his departure unsurprising. But it also fit a pattern that has followed the winger through previous moves.
Garnacho had already left Manchester United after admitting he had started to do “some bad things” towards the end of his time at Old Trafford. He also drew attention in February when, ahead of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup semifinal against Arsenal, he said, “Everyone knows how hard it is to play there. If, for example, Manchester United can beat them there, we can do it perfectly.” Chelsea then lost 1-0, and Garnacho was mocked on social media by United supporters.
Later, after Chelsea lost 1-0 to Manchester United in the Premier League, Luke Shaw posted a picture of himself knocking Garnacho to the floor. Other United players commented beneath it, adding to the sense that relations had deteriorated.
Garnacho has often generated headlines when leaving clubs, and this latest message after his Aston Villa debut will only add to that reputation. Yet the bigger issue now is his output on the pitch. United once viewed him as a major talent after his breakthrough in the 2022-23 season, but this stage of his career may depend on whether he can make the right kind of impact in 2026/27.
Analytics & Stats
One priority signing each Premier League club should target before the window closes
A club-by-club look at the main transfer priority every Premier League side still needs to address.
With less than a month left in the transfer window, Premier League clubs are still expected to be busy. Incomings and outgoings remain likely across the division, and every side still appears to have at least one clear gap to fill before the deadline.
Arsenal may be attracting attention with their pursuit of Vinícius Júnior, but their bigger need is in central midfield. Declan Rice carried too much of the load last season, while Martín Zubimendi faded after the break and Myles Lewis-Skelly is not yet fully trusted there. Another box-to-box midfielder would help enormously.
Aston Villa could soon be short at left back if Lucas Digne leaves, which would leave Ian Maatsen as the only senior option. Bournemouth need more depth in wide areas, Brentford still require a more natural left back, and Brighton & Hove Albion must replace the goals lost with Danny Welbeck’s move to Chelsea.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have done plenty of work already but still have not addressed the goalkeeper position. Robert Sánchez improved in 2025-26, yet the club still look in need of a top-class solution.
Elsewhere, Coventry City are close to signing Carl Rushworth permanently and would then turn to left back. Crystal Palace need centre-back reinforcements after losing Marc Guéhi and Maxence Lacroix, while Everton must add a defensive midfielder after Idrissa Gana Gueye’s departure.
Fulham will look for winger depth after strengthening up front, Hull City want more options in attack, and Ipswich Town are still waiting for a central midfielder. Leeds United may also need another striker to cover for Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury record.
Liverpool’s most pressing issue is out wide, Manchester City need a right back, Manchester United still want a more destructive midfielder, and Newcastle are alarmingly short at left back. Nottingham Forest must replace Elliot Anderson in midfield, Sunderland need more balance on the left side, and Tottenham Hotspur have already moved aggressively to rebuild after last season’s collapse.
