Premier League
Tottenham’s Injury Crisis Shifts Relegation Run-In Calculation
De Zerbi faces a depleted squad: multiple long-term injuries threaten Tottenham’s relegation fight. .
Roberto De Zerbi has publicly acknowledged the misfortune that has dogged his spell at the club. “I started with not big luck!” he reflected soon after taking charge, and the squad’s current list of absentees has only deepened that problem.
The club face several long-term losses. Solanke’s hamstring injury has been described in a report as “over.” There is a slim possibility of a three-week recovery that might permit limited involvement on the final day, but the account nevertheless presents Solanke’s season as “over.” The forward, noted for his ability to hold the ball up, has been identified as the closest stylistic replacement to Harry Kane at Thomas Tuchel’s disposal. Solanke also appeared in both of England’s March friendlies, but the overstretching at Molineux is likely to have ended his international hopes for the World Cup.
The list of serious injuries continues. De Zerbi had begun forming a “special connection” with Xavi Simons before the Dutch playmaker ruptured his ACL and was left “heartbroken” by the diagnosis. Simons said, “All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team,” he lamented, “and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me, along with the World Cup .” Wilson Odobert has also succumbed to an ACL injury after an erratic season in front of goal; he has taken 21 Premier League shots without scoring.
Defensive issues have been compounded by Cristian Romero’s absence. The captain endured a difficult debut season, collecting 11 yellow cards and two reds while a backline conceded the fourth-most goals in the Premier League. Romero suffered a knee injury when shoved into his own goalkeeper and has been forced to watch the final six weeks from the sidelines.
Ben Davies has been out since ankle surgery in January. The 33-year-old is out of contract in June, leaving the prospect that his 12-year stay may end if he cannot return this season.
Mohammed Kudus returned to training earlier this month but suffered a relapse that looks likely to keep him out until the World Cup. On that issue De Zerbi admitted: “I don’t want to push too much as we lost Kudus in this way,” the Italian coach admitted. “I will use the players when they are totally available to play and start training; it’s better to lose one more game than get another injury.”
Man Utd
United’s midfield rebuild takes another turn as Éderson stays put
United’s pursuit of Éderson has stalled after Atalanta extended his deal and raised his value.
Manchester United’s plans to bring in Éderson appear to have moved out of reach after the midfielder signed a contract extension with Atalanta.
United had already worked towards a deal worth £35 million ($47 million), with nominal add-ons helping to lift the package, but the move never reached completion. The transfer was first delayed when Éderson was called into Brazil’s World Cup squad as a late injury replacement. By the time United returned to the situation, a reported knee concern had given them pause.
That uncertainty opened the door to other targets. Alternative moves for Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans followed, with each offering a different profile in midfield. Even so, Éderson had remained a possible option as United continued to work through the market. His new agreement with Atalanta has now closed that route and, at the same time, increased his valuation.
Atalanta have not confirmed the length of the deal, but the extension removes any suggestion that Éderson was available as a straightforward deal. For United, the picture is still unfinished. Their midfield rebuild remains in progress and is unlikely to be complete until a destructive, engine-type player arrives to sit alongside the more ball-oriented qualities already present in Tielemans, Santos and Kobbie Mainoo.
With Éderson now tied down, United still need a Casemiro-esque presence to bring greater balance. Casemiro was released at the end of his contract around three weeks ago, while Manuel Ugarte is ruled out long term. That leaves the club still searching for the right kind of midfield anchor to steady the group.
Chelsea
Alonso cites timing in choosing Chelsea as rebuild begins
Alonso says timing decided his Chelsea move; he plans a rebuild, wants the best from Cole Palmer. Too
Xabi Alonso has framed his decision to take charge of Chelsea ahead of the 2026/27 season as a matter of opportunity and timing. “Well, it is about timings,” he told BBC Sport. The 44-year-old signed a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge while Arne Slot remained in charge at Liverpool.
At the time Chelsea secured Alonso, Liverpool appeared to be sticking with Slot despite what the club considered a horrid sophomore stint in the dugout, leaving Chelsea with no immediate competition for his signature. Weeks after Alonso’s arrival, Liverpool sacked Slot and appointed Andoni Iraola.
Alonso turned his attention to the work awaiting him at Chelsea following a disappointing 2025–26 campaign. The club went from winning the Club World Cup last summer to finishing 10th in the Premier League and failing to qualify for European competition. Chelsea’s season ended with a 1–0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup final under interim boss Calum McFarlane, who had taken over after Rosenior lost his job at the end of April. The former Strasburg manager lasted less than four months in charge after signing a six-and-a-half-year contract in January. Before Rosenior, Enzo Maresca saw his tenure implode after a falling out with the club’s hierarchy.
Alonso becomes the sixth permanent manager in four years under BlueCo. He expressed confidence in working with the club’s decision makers and in the squad’s potential. “I am looking forward to this challenge, a big challenge, and Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs and I am looking forward to having success here,” he said.
“What I like is that we work together and we are all part of the decisions we take, we all feel responsible for that,” Alonso said. “We are confident that we are doing the right things in the right way. The potential is there. I think there is a strong base and a good team already there.
“We need to reinforce it in the right way and take good decisions to do that. The feeling is that we are aligned with the sporting directors. The ultimate goal is to have a good team, build the right squad and we are in that moment.”
On Cole Palmer, Alonso added: “So far we have been together for a few days and he has come in with a positive mindset and positive spirit. He wants to enjoy playing football.”
Arsenal
Valdepeñas Set to Join Fiorentina as Real Madrid Retain Significant Future Rights
Valdepeñas joins Fiorentina; Real Madrid keep 50% sell-on and future control over transfers. reports
Real Madrid have agreed the sale of young defender Víctor Valdepeñas to Fiorentina for around €8 million. Fabrizo Romano reports that Valdepeñas has signed a contract with Fiorentina until 2031, while Real Madrid “maintain 50% sell-on clause and future control in case of any bids.”
The move ends a transfer saga that included reported interest from Premier League winners Arsenal, as well as links to AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund. Spanish reports in February indicated Arsenal held strong interest in the left-footed defender, who is versatile enough to play centrally, at left back or even in midfield.
AS offered a detailed scouting note on the teenager: “His aerial ability (courtesy of his 1.88m height) stands out, and thanks to his imposing physique, he’s a good winner of duels, allowing the defense to push high up the pitch, to press as high as possible and pin opponents back. A 19-year-old Swiss Army knife who fits right in at London. And anywhere else.”
Valdepeñas’s transfer to Fiorentina is the latest example of Real Madrid monetizing their academy pipeline while retaining economic rights. Los Blancos have increasingly structured deals to preserve upside for future bids on players they judge not ready for the first team.
Although full terms have not been publicly disclosed beyond the reported sell-on and control provisions, the club’s recent activity illustrates the approach. The summer included complex arrangements such as the sale of Nico Paz’s rights to Como for €60 million, with a reported buyback clause of €80 million. Madrid are also said to have received around €20 million from Víctor Muñoz’s sale from Osasuna to Liverpool, €12.5 million from Álvaro Rodríguez’s move from Elche to Bournemouth, €15 million for Mario Gila to AC Milan and €3.5 million for Mario Martín’s transfer to Getafe.
Valdepeñas’s arrival at Fiorentina closes one chapter for the 19-year-old and ensures Real Madrid remain financially exposed to his future progress.
