Chelsea
Rosenior refuses to name who missed Flemming as Chelsea reassess set-piece roles
Rosenior will probe missed marking that allowed Flemming’s header; squad selection may expose who is responsible.
Liam Rosenior declined to single out an individual after Chelsea were held 1–1 by Burnley, saying the matter will be handled internally.
“An assignment was missed,” Rosenior reflected on Zian Flemming’s late header. “An assignment, a marking assignment, wasn’t done.
“Flemming, we know, is their best header of the ball. And there was a player who I won’t … I’m not here to throw players under the bus. I will always protect my players. I will deal with it during the week.
“There was a player we assigned that duty who marked the wrong player.”
Rosenior also raised wider concerns about focus and accountability. “I’m learning about the players. I’m learning about the people you can lean on when things aren’t going your way and you need to see a game out. That’s something we need to address very quickly.”
The equaliser arrived from a front-post header with Zian Flemming meeting the ball while Andrey Santos was nearby and did not track the towering Dutchman’s run towards the front post. Rosenior’s comments indicate another team-mate had been specifically tasked with following Flemming; whether that player moved, assumed a different duty or covered a gap will be resolved behind closed doors. Rosenior will know Santos well after their mutual time at Strasbourg and has demonstrated a clear trust in Santos in the past.
Substitution details have sharpened scrutiny. Josh Acheampong was Chelsea’s final substitute, coming on in the 89th minute in place of Reece James. Chelsea list Acheampong at 6’3″, two inches taller than Flemming and taller than Santos (5’11”) and Moisés Caicedo (5’10”). Rosenior brought Tosin Adarabioyo on after Fofana’s dismissal; at 6’6″ Tosin did not pick up an opponent at the front post, was blocked off and failed to challenge for the header. Tosin’s Premier League aerial duel success rate this season is 69.2% and he is 28 years old. He has attracted fan frustration for a series of mistakes and become a primary suspect on social media, though Rosenior’s tactical instructions are not public.
Rosenior defended Wesley Fofana despite the red card. “That wasn’t on Wesley,” Rosenior said of the result. “That was on our performance.” With Fofana suspended, Rosenior must choose a partner for Trevoh Chalobah for the trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal next weekend, and that decision may yet reveal who he had in mind when he spoke about responsibility after the Burnley game.
Chelsea
Man City Make Contact Over Pedro Neto as Maresca Weighs Wide Options
City are in contact over Neto, but Chelsea’s price and Savinho’s future may decide the outcome.
Manchester City have reportedly opened talks with the camp of Chelsea winger Pedro Neto about a possible return to working with Enzo Maresca.
According to Fabrizio Romano, City are already in “direct contact” with the player’s representatives as they explore a summer move to the Etihad Stadium. The situation is not straightforward, though, and several factors could shape whether any deal progresses.
One key issue is Savinho. Romano has also named Tottenham Hotspur as admirers of Neto, and any departure for the City winger could sharpen Maresca’s interest in strengthening his wide areas. Chelsea’s asking price will also matter, with the London club not actively seeking a sale and likely expecting a strong offer after signing Neto only two summers ago.
Chelsea’s squad depth means the winger is not indispensable in west London. The club has added heavily to its attacking ranks, even after the recent departures of Alejandro Garnacho to Aston Villa and Tyrique George to Everton. Morgan Rogers has arrived for a record-breaking fee, while Geovany Quenda has also joined from Sporting CP. That group sits alongside Estêvão, Jamie Gittens, Cole Palmer and Mykhailo Mudryk, who recently returned after his doping ban was lifted.
Even so, Neto’s value is clear. Only Enzo Fernández created more chances than his 53 last season in the Premier League, and no Chelsea player bettered his 12 big chances created. His pace also gives him a directness that can trouble deep defensive blocks.
Xabi Alonso will want a closer look before any final decision is made, especially as Neto made a late return to preseason after his World Cup involvement with Portugal and is yet to play under Chelsea’s new manager.
City, too, have options on the flanks. Jérémy Doku delivered the best season of his City career in 2025-26, Antoine Semenyo made an immediate impact after arriving mid-season, and Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden have all been used wide in recent campaigns. Jeremy Monga, still only 17, offers further cover. Even so, if Savinho were to depart, Maresca would be left with fewer natural wingers than he would ideally want.
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.
