Football
Rangers set to miss out on £20m star as Fabrizio Romano reveals European giants are closing in
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For Rangers to have any chance of bringing a talented youngster like Carney Chukwuemeka to Ibrox—a player who moved between two English giants for £20 million in 2022—it was always likely to be on a short-term loan with no option to buy.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea is considering such a move for Chukwuemeka ahead of the February deadline, setting out terms for his development.
Reports suggest Chelsea proposed Rangers as a potential destination, likely seeing value in the 21-year-old gaining experience at a historic club that demands physicality, discipline, and the ability to thrive under the pressure of an ambitious, title-chasing fanbase.
However, Borussia Dortmund presents a compelling alternative. With their reputation for developing rising stars into world-class players—think Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and Jadon Sancho—Dortmund offers an attractive path that might appeal to both Chelsea and Chukwuemeka as they weigh his next steps.
Dortmund pushing for Carney Chukwuemeka after Chelsea offered him to Rangers
Talk of Rangers signing Carney Chukwuemeka has stalled in recent weeks, perhaps unsurprisingly.
The Glaswegian side may have realized their slim chances early on or decided that a short-term loan wasn’t the right solution for their midfield needs.
Instead, Rangers are focusing on more attainable targets, like Dundee’s Lyall Cameron, an energetic young midfielder whose contract is running out, as well as considering permanent moves for Leon Belcar, Marko Soldo, and Sasa Zdjelar.
Bringing in Chukwuemeka on a temporary deal would only leave Rangers back at square one in a few months, with the 21-year-old expected to return to Chelsea.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea still see Chukwuemeka as part of their long-term plans. Talks have taken place with Borussia Dortmund, but competition for his loan move appears to be coming not from Scotland, but Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.
The French club, sharing ownership with Chelsea, already hosts Djodje Petrovic, Andrey Santos, and Caleb Wiley on loan from Stamford Bridge, making it an attractive option for Chukwuemeka.
Chelsea want Chukwuemeka’s £100,000-a-week salary paid during loan
“Carney Chukwuemeka has some possibility to go to sister club Strasbourg but also Borussia Dortmund,” Romano says. Borussia Dortmund are in contact with the agent of the player and with Chelsea.
“Borussia Dortmund believes Carney could be an ideal option for the midfield.”
Another major hurdle for Rangers in their pursuit of Carney Chukwuemeka is his hefty salary.
Chelsea reportedly expects Borussia Dortmund, if they secure the deal, to cover the full £100,000-a-week wages the midfielder earns for the remainder of the season.
For Rangers, such a financial commitment would be impossible, leaving Chelsea with no option but to significantly subsidize the arrangement if the player were to move to Ibrox.
“Chelsea are open to a loan but no buy option,” Romano adds. So straight loan, six months, but no buy option. Cover the salary, pay for the loan, and get the player back to London. That’s the idea of Chelsea.
“Let’s see what Borussia Dortmund or more clubs decide to do.”
Rangers are yet to make any additions in the January transfer window, but that could change soon. CEO Patrick Stewart hinted that Rangers might bring in one or two new signings, with Dens Park talent Lyall Cameron emerging as the most likely candidate at this point.
“It is no surprise when a player like that is out of contract and there will be interest in him,” Dundee coach Tony Docherty said on Monday ahead of the clash with Celtic. “It is purely speculation at the moment. We have a lot of players, six or seven who are out-of-contract at the end of the season.
“We have identified, as a club, to offer contract extensions and it is then their prerogative what they do with them. A couple have come back and said they will sign and others are exploring their options.
“Lyall is in that category. It is the business we are in and it doesn’t surprise me that there is that amount of speculation about Lyall because he is an extremely talented young footballer.”
English Premier League
Manchester United have enquired about in-demand Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia
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Manchester United are reportedly among several European clubs eyeing a move for Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
United may be in the market for a new shot-stopper amid uncertainties surrounding the long-term future of No.1 Andre Onana.
The Cameroonian has struggled in recent weeks, making costly errors that have raised doubts about his suitability for the role.
During United’s clash with Ipswich Town on Wednesday, Onana misjudged a Patrick Dorgu pass, leaving himself stranded and allowing Jaden Philogene an easy finish.
Later in the game, he was at fault again as a speculative cross from Philogene sailed past him into the net.
While he eventually settled, question marks remain over whether he is the right choice to lead United forward between the posts.
A recent report from The Peoples Person suggested his future at Old Trafford is “hanging in the balance,” with potential replacements being considered.
According to Sport, United have inquired about signing Garcia in the summer. The 23-year-old has played a key role for Espanyol this season, helping them battle relegation. Espanyol currently sit 15th in La Liga, four points above the drop zone.
Garcia has kept four clean sheets in 25 appearances, conceding 36 goals during that period. Sport reports: “In recent days, Manchester United have been linked with a move for the Espanyol goalkeeper.”
United, however, face competition for his signature. Arsenal, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City are all monitoring his situation.
Espanyol sporting director Fran Garagarza recently admitted the club might be forced to sell Garcia, potentially for less than his release clause—except if Barcelona enters the race.
The club is reluctant to sell to a direct rival and would demand his full release clause be paid upfront if Barça make an approach.
A move to the Premier League appears the most likely outcome. Arsenal had a €20m bid for Garcia rejected last summer, with Espanyol pointing to his €25m release clause.
That clause rises by €5m in the final 15 days of the window and increases by another €5m if he earns a cap for Spain.
Arsenal are expected to make another attempt, while PSG are also plotting a potential swoop but have yet to formally approach Espanyol.
CaughtOffside reports that Manchester City are considering Garcia as a replacement for Ederson, who is expected to leave the Etihad this summer.
If Garcia is indeed United’s preferred target, they must act swiftly to avoid losing him to one of their European rivals.
With interest growing, the club that offers him the clearest path to first-team football may ultimately win the race for his signature.
English Premier League
Vitor Pereira and Gary O’Neil in agreement over major Fosun mistake, it could cost Wolves
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Wolves fans crave progress for their club, but in recent years, they have only seen decline under Fosun’s ownership.
Meanwhile, former manager Nuno Espirito Santo is leading Nottingham Forest toward Champions League football, serving as a reminder of Wolves’ past success.
During his tenure, Nuno guided the Old Gold to Europa League qualification twice, following consecutive seventh-place finishes in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons.
However, since that golden era at Molineux, Wolves have struggled, slipping further down the Premier League table.
Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | Points |
15 | Everton | 27 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 30 | 34 | -4 | 32 |
16 | West Ham | 26 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 30 | 47 | -17 | 30 |
17 | Wolves | 27 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 37 | 56 | -19 | 22 |
18 | Ipswich | 27 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 26 | 57 | -31 | 17 |
19 | Leicester | 26 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 25 | 59 | -34 | 17 |
Vítor Pereira’s side sits 17th in the table, five points clear of 18th-placed Ipswich Town but trailing West Ham by eight points despite being just one spot below them.
At best, the Wanderers can only hope to narrowly avoid relegation this season, and Pereira has pointed to a key issue contributing to their struggles.
After the high of their 1-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday, Wolves were quickly brought back down to reality with a 2-1 defeat to Fulham.
While fans warmly welcomed Raul Jiménez and former winger Adama Traoré, the night proved disappointing for the home side.
The thousands of empty seats at Molineux reflected the club’s rapid decline, and Pereira was quick to highlight a lack of squad depth as a major factor in their latest setback.
“This is a problem against a team that when they started to do the subs, they came with a lot of players with high quality, because they have these solutions in the squad. At this moment with the injuries for us, it’s difficult,” he said via Wolves official.
The Portuguese manager believed his counterpart, Marco Silva, had the luxury of bringing game-changers off the bench, whereas he had far fewer options at his disposal.
With key players like Gonçalo Guedes and Hwang Hee-chan sidelined due to injury, his concerns were understandable. However, squad depth has been a long-standing issue for the club.
Gary O’Neil once sent a warning to Fosun over squad depth
Fosun has repeatedly failed to provide Wolves managers with the necessary resources for success, forcing several, including Gary O’Neil, to operate with limited backing.
In April 2024, during an injury crisis, O’Neil warned the owners that key players were being overworked due to the squad’s lack of depth.
“We warned the club that we were overloading players,” O’Neil said via BBC Sport. “It was a small group and we were using them an awful lot, and there was a risk of our injury record getting worse in the second half of the season.
“On top of that, if we lost a couple of attackers, I explained to the club that we would be in a real difficult situation.
“From my point of view, an understanding of what my squad were giving and where we might end up, and [Sporting Director] Matt Hobbs was on board with that as well – a real clear message that we were overloading the players and we could have done with a bit more depth.”
Despite Wolves being the Premier League’s second-highest spenders in January and securing three new signings, Pereira is still facing the same challenges O’Neil did.
For the club to climb the table, substantial investment will be required in the summer—otherwise, relegation seems inevitable.
English Premier League
Manchester City player ‘would welcome’ exit despite being regular – Club want Pep’s side to reduce price ‘a lot’
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Mateo Kovačić has been a key player for Manchester City this season, featuring in 32 matches across all competitions and accumulating 2,113 minutes of playing time.
However, despite his regular involvement, his long-term future at the Etihad remains uncertain.
Reports from the UK suggest that City are planning a squad overhaul for next season, which could see Kovačić being sold in the summer.
Atlético Madrid have been mentioned as a potential suitor, with suggestions that they might try to secure the Croatian midfielder for €30 million as part of City’s clear-out.
Mundo Deportivo has picked up on these claims and added its own perspective on the situation.
Kovačić, who previously played for Real Madrid, will turn 31 in May and is under contract with Manchester City until 2027.
However, Atlético appears reluctant to meet the reported €30 million valuation for a player in his 30s.
The Spanish club would only consider a deal if the asking price drops significantly, though the report does not specify how much they would be willing to pay.
The article also recalls that José Mourinho was keen on signing Kovačić for Manchester United back in 2018. His current club, Fenerbahçe, is now reportedly interested in bringing him in during the next transfer window.
Despite this, Kovačić is not keen on a move to Turkey, as he prefers to remain in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
With that in mind, he is said to be open to the idea of returning to Spain, where Atlético could provide him with a fresh start in Madrid.
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