Chelsea have announced the squad that will travel on their pre-season tour to the United States and there were some noticeable absences with Trevoh Chalobah and Alfie Gilchrist left off the list by Enzo Maresca. 

Both players featured for the Blues last season as Mauricio Pochettino trusted the two defensive stars at points throughout the campaign.

Gilchrist featured in 11 Premier League matches after the 20-year-old was handed his senior debut by the Argentine coach when he came on as a substitute against Crystal Palace back in December. The 2023/24 season was an important one for the young defender and he is now expected to go on loan to gain further experience.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Englishman has received two loan proposals for the upcoming season from Preston and Sheffield United. The youngster will pick his favourite destination over the coming days and it is the reason he has not been taken on Chelsea’s pre-season tour.

Chalobah’s story is a lot different as his Chelsea exit has been written on the walls at Stamford Bridge for some time.

Trevoh Chalobah’s time at Chelsea is coming to an end

Chalobah has been told that he will be staying in London while the rest of the Chelsea squad travels to the United States as the Premier League club feel that they already have enough defensive options with Wesley Fofana, Axel Disasi and Tosin Adarabioyo, states Fabrizio Romano.

The West London outfit will also take 18-year-old Josh Acheapong with them to America as Maresca wants to use this time to evaluate the young defender.

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This latest decision from Chelsea regarding Chalobah signifies that the centre-back will leave the Blues this summer as he is fit again compared to the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old also played 17 times for the Premier League club last season and finished the campaign as a starter, which would have given interested clubs a good look at the English defender before this summer’s transfer window opened.

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With just a couple of games to go in the Championship season, Leicester City sit proudly back atop the division and looking likely to win the title unless they happen to have another mini-collapse.

At one point this season, the Foxes lead over everyone else was into double figures, but a mixture of poor performances and results allowed their nearest pursuers – Ipswich Town and Leeds United – to reel them back in.

The battle for the two automatic promotion places ever since has been a joy to watch, with all three interchanging at various times, and only being a couple of points away from each other for the most part.

Abdul Fatawu could be benched for Leicester

Just when it was needed, Leicester put on a real show against Southampton, themselves an outsider for the top two spots, and plundered five goals.

Abdul Fatawu scored a hat-trick and set up another in a man-of-the-match performance, however, manager Enzo Maresca seems keen to keep the player level-headed.

“The next game he will be on the bench. I told him straight after the game: ‘Relax, because the next game you’re going to be on the bench,’” he was quoted as saying by Leicestershire Live.

“With Abdul, with young players, after a hat-trick, he is probably thinking that he’s already a top player. But they need to calm down and work hard every day and prepare themselves in the right way.

“We are very happy with Abdul. The good thing about Abdul is that he’s a bit different to Stephy (Mavididi). Stephy struggles to defend, he likes to attack. But Abdul loves to do both. He helps us a lot this season.”

It isn’t clear at present if Maresca was being a little tongue in cheek or if he does indeed intend to leave the 20-year-old Ghanaian champing at the bit on the sidelines against Preston North End.

Depending on your point of view the decision could be considered a masterstroke and a lesson in game management.

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Not that Fatawu would necessarily see things that way on the back of one of the brightest performances of his fledgling career.

His reaction to being benched – should it happen – will tell Maresca all he needs to know about the players attitude.

If, as expected, Leicester do manage to make it back to the promised land at the first time of asking, Fatawu can play a big part if he’s humble enough to accept his manager’s way of working.

If not, his career at the King Power Stadium could be over before it really gets going.

The post Maresca admits he told Leicester hero he will be a sub in next game appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Southampton’s match with Preston North End on Wednesday night has been postponed after a huge fire broke out near St Mary’s Stadium earlier in the day. 

The Saints were looking to close the gap to the Championship’s top three after they all won their matches on Tuesday but the game will now have to be played later in the year.

The fire began around 1pm on Wednesday and the cause of it is unknown, reports Sky News. It looks like it is a massive one from the footage as firefighters continue to try and extinguish it.

Nobody has reportedly been injured in the blaze and hopefully, that remains the case over the coming hours.

Watch: Massive fire breaks out near Southampton’s stadium

? OFFICIAL: Southampton’s game against Preston tonight has been called OFF after a fire broke out at a nearby building.

(? @hogequeen) pic.twitter.com/9zQhu4io6y

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) March 6, 2024

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Leeds United are reportedly contemplating a move to sign Liverpool defender Calvin Ramsay on loan during the January transfer window, as mentioned in the Daily Mail’s print edition on Thursday. The 20-year-old is listed among the right-back options that Leeds is monitoring.

Liverpool signed Ramsay, the Scotland international, in the summer of 2022 for £6.5 million as reported by Sky Sports. They have recently recalled him from his loan spell at Championship side Preston North End.

Leeds United are facing a notable shortage of options at right-back, especially after Djed Spence returned to Tottenham and Luke Ayling joined Middlesbrough, leaving them in need of increased depth at the position.

Ramsay, having played only twice during his loan spell with Preston that was marred by injuries, is likely eager to secure more regular football through a potential loan move, as he seeks to gain valuable playing time and consistency.

Ramsay’s past performances for Aberdeen, earning him the SFWA Young Player of the Year award, indicate that he could be a reliable option for Leeds United.

Given his young age of just 20, the ceiling is extremely high for the Scotsman as long as he is able to secure consistent game time to aid his development

The post Leeds make move to sign Liverpool full-back before Preston clash appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool have recalled defender Calvin Ramsay from his loan spell at Championship outfit Preston North End and the Merseyside club plan to send the youngster back out on loan this month.

The Scottish star made the move last summer hoping to get regular minutes under his belt, but injury has only allowed him to make just two appearances during his stay at Deepdale. Ramsay hadn’t featured for Preston since their defeat to Queens Park Rangers in early December but is now back in Liverpool as the Reds plan his next move.

According to The Athletic, Liverpool are keen for Ramsay to play regular first-team football in the second half of the season to aid his development so it’s expected that the Scotsman will be loaned out again before the end of this month.

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Ramsay has yet to make an impact at Liverpool since joining during the summer of 2022 and many thought that his recall would give him an opportunity given the current injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Jurgen Klopp seems to be happy with Conor Bradley occupying the position until the England international returns as Ramsay looks for other ways to climb the ladder at the Merseyside club.

The post 20-year-old Liverpool star expected to leave in January despite injury to key man in his position appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool are in talks with Preston North End over the future of right-back Calvin Ramsay as the Reds look to prematurely end the defender’s loan spell at the Championship club. 

The Scottish star moved to Deepdale during the summer transfer window as part of a season-long loan deal in an attempt to get the defender more minutes.

However, things have not gone to plan as the youngster has endured an injury-hit campaign, resulting in Ramsay playing just twice this season.

According to This is Anfield, Liverpool are now in talks with Preston to bring Ramsay back to Anfield and this could be related to the injury recently picked up by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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The Liverpool vice-captain is set to be out of action for the next few weeks as a result of a knee problem he picked up in the Reds’ win over Arsenal on Sunday and it leaves Jurgen Klopp short of options in that position.

Conor Bradley is likely to fill in for the England star but Ramsay could be an option if he is recalled and fit to play.

Liverpool have already recalled Rhys Williams and Fabio Carvalho from loan spells this season, therefore, the likelihood of the Reds going through with this Ramsay news is high.

The post Liverpool in talks to bring 20-year-old right-back to Anfield following Trent Alexander-Arnold injury news appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea have put a fourth past Preston North End during Saturday afternoon’s FA Cup Third Round tie at Stamford Bridge.

The Premier League outfit, who sit 25 places above today’s opponents in the English footballing pyramid, were poor in the game’s first half. However, a strong team talk from Mauricio Pochettino obviously worked wonders after the home team came out much better in the second half.

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An 11-minute trio of goals from Armando Broja, Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling sealed the result before Enzo Fernandez, who has had a good individual game, added the Blues’ fourth.

Right place. Right time.

Enzo Fernández extends @ChelseaFC's lead following a VAR check ?#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/WuMDhHP7sT

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 6, 2024

The post (Video) Enzo Fernandez seals resounding Chelsea win as Blues dump Preston out of FA Cup appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea have taken the lead against Preston North End during Saturday afternoon’s FA Cup Third Round tie at Stamford Bridge.

Despite being the tie’s clear favourites, the Blues had struggled to break down Ryan Lowe’s Championship side.

Going into the halftime break all square at 0-0, Chelsea’s squad would have been expecting a tough team talk from manager Mauricio Pochettino.

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And whatever the Argentine said worked because just 13 minutes after the break, striker Armando Broja got on the end of a cross and glanced a brilliant header home.

Broja rises ??
Broja scores ?

A top header from the @ChelseaFC man#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/X0ZNFr9Yjj

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 6, 2024

And things got even better for the home team after Thiago Silva added a second just 12 minutes later with Raheem Sterling converting a free kick moments after that.

Thiago Silva heads in for @ChelseaFC ?#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/txYMZFp3c9

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 6, 2024

An emphatic 11 minutes from Pochettino’s men has put them within touching distance of the competition’s Fourth Round.

The post (Videos) Three goals in 11 minutes for Chelsea set to send Blues into FA Cup Fourth Round appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea have been far from at their best during Saturday afternoon’s FA Cup Third Round tie against Preston North End.

The Blues, who are hosting Ryan Lowe’s Preston at Stamford Bridge, are understandably the game’s favourites.

Despite the home team being 25 places higher in the English pyramid, the Championship outfit have put in a solid first-half performance.

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Even though neither side has broken the deadlock after the first 45 minutes, Preston North End have done themselves proud. However, sparking the fury of one Chelsea-focused journalist, the Blues’ latest poor display is ‘criminal’.

Taking to X just before the half-time break, Simon Phillips, who boasts nearly half a million followers, said: “Preston come to The Bridge and have THIS much time on the ball is criminal from us, criminal from Poch.”

Preston come to The Bridge and have THIS much time on the ball is criminal from us, criminal from Poch.

— Simon Phillips (@siphillipssport) January 6, 2024

Should Chelsea fail to come away from this tie victorious, surely the pressure will begin to mount on Mauricio Pochettino, who is still fighting to convince fans his Spurs connections are worth forgiving,

The post “Criminal from Poch” – Chelsea journalist fuming with Blues’ first-half performance vs. PNE appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liam Lindsay scored a crucial late goal for Preston North End against Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers, propelling them to fourth place in the Championship. The defender found the back of the net after connecting with Ben Whiteman’s cross, ending Preston’s streak of three consecutive away defeats.

GoaL! | Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Preston | Liam Lindsay pic.twitter.com/FxJAMhntzq

— FootColic ?? (@FootColic) November 10, 2023

Sammie Szmodics had previously become the first Championship player this season to reach double figures with his 10th goal, which canceled out an impressive strike from Alan Browne that had given Preston a first-half lead.

Despite Blackburn hitting the crossbar twice in the first half, Preston remained a constant threat on the counter-attack and even struck the post themselves before Lindsay’s late header secured the win for the Lilywhites.

Unfortunately for Blackburn, their tendency to concede late goals continued as the clock ran down, with Whiteman delivering the decisive cross for Lindsay’s header. This marked the 11th time this season that Rovers had conceded in the final quarter of an hour.

After the game, Blackburn Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson reflected on his team’s performance on BBC Radio Lancashire:

“We’re extremely disappointed to lose the game. I don’t think we deserved to lose the game, if you look at our overall performance.

 

“We were the better team and created more chances than the opponent. We were probably lacking clear chances in the final third and runs in behind – when we did that, we created chances immediately.

 

“We should have done that better in the first half, but we still hit the bar twice in that first half.”

This result now leaves Blackburn Rovers four points adrift of West Bromwich Albion, who enter the weekend sitting in sixth place.

Preston North End boss Ryan Lowe reacted to his side’s last gasp victory in the Lancashire derby:

“Credit goes to the players, the staff and the fans. We are trying to bring the good times back. We are not one of the big hitters. We have to do it wisely. When you have got that fanbase, it is really pleasing to see. My celebration at the end, that is relief from me,” he said live on Sky Sports.

The post Preston North End claim bragging rights against Blackburn Rovers after last minute winner appeared first on CaughtOffside.