Man Utd now on red alert to sign “spectacular” Real Madrid star in shock £69m deal

Manchester United are now on red alert in the race to sign a Real Madrid star ahead of Manchester City in a shock £69m deal next year.

Amorim "angry" at "frustrating" West Ham draw

Like the rest of Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim was left angered by Man United’s 1-1 draw against West Ham. The Red Devils were in control for the large part and deservedly got their opener through unlikely goalscorer Diogo Dalot in the second-half, but that’s when things started going wrong.

With seven minutes remaining, the visitors sent a timely reminder of United’s struggles courtesy of Soungoutou Magassa, who scored his first Premier League goal to snatch a point for West Ham.

Amorim, left frustrated at full-time, told reporters: “Yeah, it’s frustrating, it’s angry. That’s it.”

The former Sporting CP manager also pinpointed where things went wrong, saying: “Yeah, but there are second halves that we lose control of the game.

Today, I think it was not that case. Maybe after the first goal, we lost some second balls and Matheus [Cunha] won one or two second balls there and made it a transition.

“We try to defend all the time far from the goal because we knew it. They tried to make a cross, win a corner. Like it happened, long ball, they win a second ball against three guys of us in the defence. So, we need to be better in the second half.”

Any assumption that United have turned a corner under Amorim is quickly evaporating and the Old Trafford boss desperately needs further reinforcements in 2026.

Midfield stars such as Conor Gallagher and Elliot Anderson have already been mooted, but United could still set their focus on welcoming Rodrygo from Real Madrid. The Brazilian is attracting plenty of interest and could yet swap the Bernabeu for the Premier League.

Man Utd on red alert in Rodrygo race

According to reports in Spain, Man United are now on red alert in the race to sign Rodrygo next year and could land the talented winger ahead of rivals Man City, as well as a number of other Premier League sides.

The Brazilian has struggled for game time under Xabi Alonso – starting just three La Liga games all season – and looks destined to leave Real Madrid next year.

Sparking a flurry of interest, Madrid reportedly value their winger at around €80m (£69m). Whether INEOS and others deem that fee reachable for a player who’s yet to impress Alonso remains to be seen, however.

Man Utd now rivalling Liverpool to sign £87m forward who Klopp loves

The Red Devils have joined the race for a new attacker, who has made an impressive start to the campaign.

ByDominic Lund Dec 5, 2025

At his best, Rodrygo played a key part in Madrid’s success in the Champions League and in La Liga. Now, he’s been cast aside to hand United the opportunity to land arguably their best signing yet under Amorim.

Dubbed “spectacular” by former Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti in 2023, Rodrygo is still just 24 years old and is full of potential – even if he’s forced to realise it with a move to Old Trafford in 2026.

Amorim's £150k-p/w star just had his worst game for Man Utd vs West Ham

Pakistan overcome late scare to go 1-0 up in ODI series

Naseem and Abrar picked up three wickets, while Rizwan and Agha struck fifties as Pakistan got over the line by two wickets in a tense finish

Danyal Rasool04-Nov-2025Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed inflicted a late collapse on South Africa to bowl them out for an under-par 263 in the opening ODI in Faisalabad.On a dry, flat batting surface, it allowed Pakistan to control the tempo of the chase, one in which they further tightened their grip with an 87-run opening stand in the first 15 overs. South Africa battled hard through the middle overs to drag the hosts back, but Mohammad Rizwan, freshly stripped of the ODI captaincy, shepherded his side calmly through the middle overs with 55, while Salman Agha chipped in with a half-century of his own.But it wasn’t without a dramatic late stumble that almost derailed Pakistan right at the death, needing a late Mohammad Nawaz six to see Pakistan through to a final-over two-wicket win that should have been more comfortable than it ultimately was.Pakistan appeared to have complicated a chase that – at the outset – looked especially straightforward. With 12 overs to go, Pakistan needed just 69 with seven wickets in hand and their two most reliable batters, Rizwan and Agha, having compiled a 91-run partnership. But Corbin Bosch, Pakistan’s tormentor-in-chief this series, struck when Rizwan flicked straight to deep backward square, and Pakistan suddenly began to find run-scoring hard.Salman Agha and Mohammad Rizwan added 91 together•Associated Press

However, they retained wickets as Hussain Talat and Agha kept counting the runs down, albeit a little more conservatively than Pakistan might have wished. The upshot, however, was a run-a-ball 45-run stand that took Pakistan to less than 30 runs away from a series lead. But when Talat misjudged a slower ball and looped one to mid-off, George Linde took a stunning catch diving forward, and threw the ball and the game back up into jeopardy.Linde would come back into the attack, ball turning square by this stage, and send back Hasan Nawaz, who saw fit to come down the crease against the turning ball and attempt a straight slog, already halfway down the crease when he was stumped. Pakistan’s plight became even drearier when, 12 runs shy, Agha holed out to Donovan Ferreira, who covered a huge chunk of the Iqbal Stadium before taking a catch that dismissed Pakistan’s anchor.With the equation suddenly ten in seven, it was thanks to a straight hit from Nawaz down the ground of the final ball of the 49th that brought the game irrevocably in Pakistan’s control. There was time enough for Nawaz to be dismissed with the scores level, with Pakistan limping over the finish line – quite literally – when one thudded into Naseem’s pads as they scuttled through for a legbye. It seemed an apt metaphor for the ultimate unconvincing manner of Pakistan’s win.It needed to be nothing like that, especially with Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub batting. The duo matched South Africa’s opening pair in the venom of their opening stand, finding boundaries and sixes in the first 15 that took them to well beyond the required rate. It was only a half-hour of pressure from South Africa’s spinners, Bjorn Fortuin and Ferreira, that turned a cakewalk into a contest.On ODI debut, Donovan Ferreira dismissed both Pakistan openers•Associated Press

Ferriera struck first with an arm ball that skidded into Ayub as he shaped for a cut. He would double up two overs later as Fakhar mistimed a slog that found long-on before Fortuin struck the dagger into Faisalabad’s hearts. With Babar Azam crawling along to 7, he got one to skid along the angle and trap him plumb in front, both bowler and batter barely waiting for the umpire’s decision.But Pakistan’s stalwarts of late salvaged the situation and steered Pakistan back on course. In their slightly humdrum yet dependable way, Rizwan and Agha kept turning the strike over and taking Pakistan closer to South Africa’s total. Most crucially, they avoided the fate of South Africa in the middle overs, denying the visitors the constant flurry of wickets that had characterised the first innings and hamstrung South Africa.This series has seen six captains across the two sides, and yet, it has been the home skipper who has won the toss each time. After winning their sixth on the trot, Pakistan elected to chase. Through the debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius and the returning Quinton de Kock, the visitors may have given Pakistan reason to regret that decision with a near-flawless start.They took on Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem early and refused to let the spin of Agha or Abrar settle either. Pretorius, who took much of the early impetus, danced down the ground to drive Agha over cover in the innings’ eighth over, while de Kock smashed Abrar over long-off to bring up the 50-run stand.By the end of his first three overs, Agha had leaked 30, and Shaheen was forced to turn to Ayub, and that is where Pakistan began to regain some control. South Africa continued to tick along at a fair clip as Pretorius completed a 48-ball 50, but Pakistan starved him of the strike for the next few overs. Even so, South Africa had got to 98 in the 16th over before Pretorius tried to carve Ayub through the offside, only for Nawaz to complete a sharp catch diving to his weaker right side.For the moment, though, South Africa were not to be slowed down by one bump. Tony de Zorzi made his intentions clear by creaming Nawaz over the top for a six so huge it flew out of Iqbal Stadium and required a replacement ball. De Kock was milking the spinners and getting a boundary away each over, with one through short fine off Ayub, bringing up his own half-century in his comeback ODI.Abrar Ahmed came back well in his later spells•Getty Images

The reintroduction of Naseem would serve as the first real break on South Africa’s careening sled. He’d copped 19 in his first three, but coming around the wicket to the two left-handers, he conceded just one in his return over, and when Ayub kept things tight at the other end, Naseem struck in the following over.It was the free-flowing de Kock who, cramped for room from the angle, chipped onto the stumps as he tried to guide the ball fine. Ayub struck six balls later to extinguish de Zorzi’s innings in its embryonic stages, and the momentum began to shift.South Africa lacked batting heft lower down the order. Sinethemba Qeshile’s back-to-back boundaries off Shaheen broke the shackles, while captain Matthew Breetzke walloped Abrar for a six and a four as South Africa attempted a relaunch. But Nawaz induced a top edge from Qeshile off the first ball of the next over, and from thereon Pakistan began to punch their way through a brittle South Africa.It was the first of five wickets to fall within 37 runs as Pakistan gutted their way through South Africa. Abrar got rid of Breetzke and trapped Fortuin first ball, almost believing he had a hat-trick when the umpire raised his finger for his third delivery in a row, but on that occasion, an inside edge denied him the honour.Bosch shielded Ngidi from the strike and put on a valuable 41 runs at the very end, but the resigned disappointment on South African faces at the ultimate score they’d posted told the real story. Four hours later, it was clear how just a few more runs might have made all the difference.

Liverpool player ratings vs Leeds: Ibrahima Konate, that is disgraceful! Frenchman's idiotic challenge invites unforgivable Reds collapse & undoes Hugo Ekitike's magical moments

Liverpool wobbled again without Mohamed Salah – who was named on the bench – during a trip to Leeds, with the points being shared in a six-goal thriller. Ao Tanaka snatched a stoppage-time equaliser for the hosts in a 3-3 draw at Elland Road after Hugo Ekitike had earlier bagged a quick-fire brace for the Reds. Leeds had remarkably battled back from two down before Dominik Szoboszlai fired the Reds back in front and looked to have won the game, only for there to be an even later sting in the tail that cost Arne Slot's side dearly.

After surviving a couple of early scares, Liverpool took control of the game without ever becoming dominant. The best of the first-half chances fell to the men from Merseyside, with Curtis Jones crashing the first of those against the crossbar in the 16th minute as his curling effort from the edge of the box left the woodwork rattling.

Virgil van Dijk really should have done better just before the half-hour mark when planting a free header over the top, while Cody Gakpo saw a swift counter-attack late in the first-half result in a low shot deflecting narrowly past the post. Slot’s side got their noses in front within three minutes of the restart, with a stray pass from Joe Rodon allowing Ekitike to burst through one-on-one and roll a composed finish into the bottom corner. The Frenchman grabbed his second less than two minutes later as he just about stayed onside to meet Conor Bradley’s low cross and bundle beyond Lucas Perri.

The hosts were given a lifeline with 17 minutes left on the clock when Ibrahima Konate slid in recklessly on Wilfried Gnonto and, following a VAR review, Dominic Calvert-Lewin made no mistake from the penalty spot. Elland Road was rocking again in the 75th minute as Anton Stach restored parity, but those spirits were dampened again 10 minutes from the end when Szoboszlai latched onto a pass from Ryan Gravenberch and calmly rolled into the back of the net. Leeds were not to be denied, though, and Tanaka played his super-sub role to perfection as he crashed home from close range after the ball dropped his way at the back post.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Elland Road…

  • Getty

    Goalkeeper & Defence

    Alisson (6/10):

    The Brazilian showed some smart reflexes in tricky wet conditions and could do nothing about Leeds’ goals, with the efforts of those in front of him leaving a lot to be desired.

    Conor Bradley (6/10):

    Caught out of position at times, but recovered well when pegged back. Was booked for a rash challenge late in the first-half, but made amends when teeing up Ekitike’s second goal.

    Ibrahima Konate (3/10):

    Still looks far from convincing when facing his own goal, with a couple of boots swung at fresh air. Slid into a needless challenge which gifted Leeds a penalty and failed to block their equaliser.

    Virgil van Dijk (6/10):

    Enjoyed the physical battle that Calvert-Lewin provides. Was rarely troubled in the opening 45 and could have scored had he kept a free header down. Left frustrated at those around him.

    Milos Kerkez (6/10):

    Put in a brave block very early as Leeds pushed for an opener and lashed a wild shot a long way off target from miles out. Worked hard throughout without offering much.

  • Advertisement

  • Getty

    Midfield

    Ryan Gravenberch (6/10):

    Provides cover for the back four and is happy to slip into a defensive berth when required, as he cleverly snuffed out any danger. Provided the perfectly-weighted pass for Szoboszlai’s goal.

    Curtis Jones (7/10):

    Lively and alert from the off, he always wanted the ball and was happy to drift all over the pitch. Rattled the crossbar with a dipping shot early on. Unlucky not to get an assist.

    Florian Wirtz (6/10):

    Still looks short on confidence, as he waits on a first competitive goal, with the German happy to move the ball on instead of trying something himself.

  • Getty

    Attack

    Dominik Szoboszlai (7/10):

    The Hungarian is not a winger so naturally drifts inside off the flank, leaving Liverpool short on width and an out ball. Fired a first-half free-kick over the bar but showed nerves of steel to roll home late on.

    Cody Gakpo (5/10):

    Gets into good positions and is a willing runner down the channels, but needs to improve his end product. Over-hit too many crosses.

    Hugo Ekitike (7/10):

    Held the ball up well, with quick feet and clever flicks posing problems. Delivered a clinical finish for his first goal and displayed a poacher’s instinct with his second.

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty

    Subs & Manager

    Alexis Mac Allister (5/10):

    Stepped over Gravenberch's pass, which allowed the ball to run through for Liverpool's third.

    Joe Gomez (5/10):

    Allowed Brenden Aaronson to slip past him for Leeds’ second goal, with the Reds full-back retreating too far before addressing the ball.

    Wataru Endo (N/A)

    On too late to make an impact.

    Alexander Isak (N/A)

    Almost headed home to make it 4-3 but wasn't to be.

    Arne Slot (4/10):

    Can't seem to get anything right at the moment. Decided not to introduce Salah off the bench and his side simply cannot be allowing Leeds a way back in when 2-0 up and cruising. Poor.

“Annoying” Liverpool star showed why FSG have to sign Semenyo

Liverpool thought they were back, two goals to the good, but these new habits have seeped into the fabric of Arne Slot’s project, and they are proving tough stains to wipe out.

Still jubilant from their win against Chelsea in midweek, Daniel Farke’s Whites met Liverpool with the expected passion and combativeness, fuelled by a raucous home support, and while the champions weathered that early storm and struck twice through Hugo Ekitike, back in the starting line-up, they succumbed to more defensive disaster, drawing the game 3-3.

The Frenchman has been a shining light throughout a dreary campaign for the Redmen, overshadowing record signing Alexander Isak, but Liverpool’s frontline still lacks balance and connectivity, and that’s why FSG are gearing up for a winter raid on Bournemouth for Antoine Semenyo.

The latest on Semenyo to Liverpool

It has emerged that Semenyo, who has been Bournemouth’s talisman this season, has a £65m release clause in his contract that becomes active during the winter transfer window.

Cue the circling sharks.

Liverpool are joined by Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in their vested interest, but the Reds have been reported to be leading the race for a player earmarked as the perfect successor to Luis Diaz, who joined Bayern Munich in August.

A big-game player with so much dynamism, the Ghana international, 26, has been declared the “best winger in the country” by Chris Waddle, and you would sense that he would only go from strength to strength in a leading role on Merseyside.

Ibrahima Konate’s latest blunder illustrated the desperate need for new defenders, but Slot will feel that Semenyo’s signature is equally important for the Anfield side, whose balance is all wrong in the final third.

And there’s one man in particular who is flattering to deceive.

Liverpool star must be replaced by Semenyo

Liverpool have been in a rut this season, and Cody Gakpo has been carried along in the stream, popping up with some moments in front of goal but lacking the multifacetedness that a winger like Semenyo would bring to the table.

Against Leeds, Gakpo failed with all six of his attempted crosses and lost the ball 13 times. He created only one chance for his teammates (data via Sofascore).

There is a pointed lack of nuance to the Dutchman’s game. Oh, he’s talented, to be sure, and dynamic enough, but Semenyo far outstrips him in such areas, so powerful and athletic and clever with his movements and decisions.

Matches (starts)

14 (12)

14 (14)

Goals

4

6

Assists

3

3

Touches*

42.2

48.9

Shots (on target)*

2.4 (0.4)

2.4 (1.4)

Accurate passes*

19.1 (79%)

19.7 (78%)

Chances created*

1.8

1.3

Dribbles*

1.1

1.6

Recoveries*

2.7

5.0

Tackles + interceptions*

1.1

2.0

Duels won*

4.9

6.5

Gakpo knows where the back of the net is, and he is skilled in playmaking too, but Semenyo is the talk of the town and rightly so, standing out in a Bournemouth team that might have lost their way in regard to three-point hauls, but remain one of the most interesting attacking outfits in the country.

Conversely, Liverpool are a structural mess, and their Netherlands winger is failing to provide the width and energy and solutions that were presented with a regularity that led to the Premier League title last season.

As analyst Josh Williams put it, it was an “annoying” display from Gakpo, and the 26-year-old needs a contrasting profile down the left if Liverpool are to restore their presence as superstars.

Liverpool ace who's fallen off a cliff looks like "Fabinho in his final year"

Liverpool’s draw against Sunderland illustrated a litany of problems Slot is still dealing with.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 4, 2025

There are legspinners, and there is Alana King

South Africa came into this match against Australia with a proud record against legspin. Then they ran into a genius

S Sudarshanan25-Oct-2025

Alana King took the best figures in the history of the Women’s World Cup•ICC/Getty Images

You can tell when a legspinner is in rhythm. It’s a sight to behold when they get the ball to rip away from the right-hand batter. Add drift to the mix, and the spectacle reaches another level.Annerie Dercksen found this out the hard way on Saturday, against Alana King. Dercksen was on the front foot, looking like she wanted to drive inside-out. She may even have been in a good position to middle the ball, had it not kept drifting into her and bowled her after beating her inside edge.Related

  • How to beat Australia in three easy steps (step 1 – invent a miracle)

  • King's majestic seven-for sets up Australia's semi-final with India

  • Stats – Seven-star King's all-time high, another low for South Africa

  • South Africa take hurt, hope and hard lessons into the semi-finals

It’s hard enough to play a legspinner when you know where the ball will land. When you’re never quite sure… well, that’s what happened to Chloe Tryon off the very next ball. She looked in a pretty good position for a front-foot flick towards mid-on or thereabouts, until King’s in-drift kicked in, forcing her to play around her front pad and chip a catch straight to short midwicket.King was all over South Africa, landing her legbreaks exactly where she desired, laughing at the notion that wristspinners’ wickets tend to come at the cost of runs and control. At the cost of runs? How about figures of 4 for 0 in 2.3 overs?South Africa had come into this Women’s World Cup 2025 match against Australia with one of the best-performing top orders against legspin in recent years. Since the start of 2023, five members of their top seven in this match – Tazmin Brits (80.00), Sune Luus (77.50), Marizanne Kapp (66.33), Laura Wolvaardt (58.33) and Tryon (57.00) – had had 50-plus averages against this style of bowling.3:06

Review: South Africa undone by the ‘King’ of Indore

Those numbers hadn’t fazed Australia in the least. They brought King on as early as the 12th over of South Africa’s innings. She had come on as early against Pakistan too, but before this World Cup, the last time she had bowled this early in an ODI was back in October 2023.And King, right from the start, had the ball on an almost literal string. If her first two wickets, of Luus and Kapp, had come against batters looking to take her on, these two fully showcased her artistry.She took just 21 balls – a record for Women’s ODIs where ball data is available – to complete her five-wicket haul, and by the time she was done she had taken the first seven-wicket haul in a Women’s World Cup game.Six games into this World Cup, King has 13 wickets at 12.92. And an economy rate of 3.57.King’s final wicket showcased the other quality that sets the best legspinners apart: big, ripping turn. Nadine de Klerk knew she could expect in-drift, and seemed to have the threat of lbw in her mind. It meant, however, that her feet were firmly cemented, nowhere near the ball when it ripped across the face of her bat to hit the top of off stump.Masabata Klaas lost her off stump to Alana King•Getty ImagesKing had figures of 7 for 18, the best by an Australia bowler in ODIs, bettering her team-mate Ellyse Perry (7 for 22) and her head coach Shelley Nitschke (7 for 24). All seven of her wickets had come off legbreaks.”I’ve become more consistent with my stock ball and I trust that,” King told the broadcaster. “It has been my go-to ball and has given me my reward.”It wasn’t all that long ago that Georgia Wareham was ahead of King in the pecking order of Australia’s legspinners. That Wareham could lengthen the batting strengthened her case. But King’s bowling has improved leaps and bounds, and she has also demonstrated an ability to hit sixes with great frequency – she hit six of them in just 31 balls in an ODI series in India in 2023-24. She has made herself hard to look past. King has been an ever-present in Australia’s XI during this World Cup, while Wareham has played just the three games, and didn’t even get to bowl against South Africa.”She’s been fantastic,” Nitschke said about King’s growth. “She’s a big-game player and when she’s up and about, she brings a lot of energy to the team. She obviously burst onto the scene a couple of years ago and had a really strong Ashes for us and has continued to perform particularly in this format. So fantastic to see her out there tonight, still performing for us in the middle of a World Cup and a big game.”South Africa headed into this game full of confidence, having won five matches in a row. Then they happened to run into Alana King.

BlueCo could see an £80m bid accepted to sign Tosin upgrade for Chelsea

There has been much ado over Chelsea’s credentials as Premier League title challengers this season, but Wednesday evening’s defeat at Leeds United served as a sobering reminder that Arsenal are frustratingly further along in their project.

Enzo Maresca’s multi-title-winning maiden campaign in the Stamford Bridge dugout underscored his capacity to lead the Blues over a number of successful years, and there has been much to like about Chelsea this term.

However, it doesn’t feel like they will get their paws on the league title just yet, with the matchless Moises Caicedo illuminated once again in his absence, suspended for the loss.

The Gunners are nine points ahead at the summit, and Chelsea have improvements still to be made across a number of areas. Central defence is among the priorities, to be sure, with Tosin Adarabioyo’s error-strewn display at Elland Road underscoring that argument.

Tosin's performance vs Leeds

Tosin has faced heavy criticism since blundering late on against Leeds, the ball swept from underneath him by Noah Okafor, leading to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late goal to condemn Chelsea to a 3-1 defeat.

This emphasises the need for defensive additions at Chelsea. Maresca has been left with a number of not-quite-perfect options in his rearguard this season, and the 28-year-old Tosin has sadly fallen below expectations, actually winning only one of four duels on the evening. His error was not an isolated incident.

He could do more in the build-up, too. The 28-year-old likes to get on the ball, but he isn’t as progressive as some of his positional peers and this runs counter to the possession-based, flowing football Maresca has implemented.

It’s clear that the former Fulham star needs to be withdrawn from the starting line-up, but Chelsea don’t exactly have an overload of central defensive options, with Levi Colwill still injured and Wesley Fofana in and out of the team.

It will come as no surprise that Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart are gearing up for a big-money move in 2026.

Chelsea lining up Tosin ugrade

According to Football Insider, Chelsea have learned that it is likely to cost them £80m to prise Murillo away from Nottingham Forest next year, with the Brazilian centre-back also attracting the vested interests of Barcelona.

Murillo, 23, is into his third year in the Premier League, and he’s thriving. Instrumental in building Forest up to European contenders, his terrifying physicality and aggressiveness are exactly what Chelsea need.

More to the point, he’s fostering an interesting technical profile, and while Chelsea are eager to complete a deal in January, it may be that they have to wait until the end of the term.

In any case, he would prove an upgrade on Tosin

Why Murillo would be a Tosin upgrade

Murillo just keeps adding layers to his skillset. Hailed as “one of the best defenders in the Premier League” by some experts on Brazilian football.

Curiously, he is not the tallest, standing just shy of 6 feet tall. Nonetheless, Murillo is a force to be reckoned with, a monstrous defensive presence.

And, in spite of the upheaval at Forest this season, he has remained a steely presence in the backline, albeit less creative now that Sean Dyche has settled into his seat.

Murillo’s Premier League Form

Stats (* per game)

24/25

25/26

Matches (starts)

36 (36)

9 (9)

Goals

2

1

Assists

0

0

Clean sheets

11

1

Touches*

55.4

60.1

Accurate passes*

31.4 (80%)

39.1 (83%)

Key passes*

0.4

0.1

Dribbles*

0.8

0.4

Ball recoveries*

3.9

4.4

Tackles + interceptions*

2.5

3.3

Clearances*

6.7

4.6

Duels (won)*

3.6 (60%)

3.4 (66%)

Errors made

4x

0x

Stats via Sofascore

Statistics can be misleading, and though Murillo isn’t directly creating chances for his teammates this season, he remains one of the division’s most dynamic and well-rounded centre-halves, ranking among the top 5% of peers in the Premier League this season for interceptions and blocks, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90, as provided by FBref data.

His enterprising take on the defensive game is something that Tosin simply doesn’t boast in his locker to anywhere near the same standard. Moreover, the 23-year-old is five years Tosin’s junior, and thus has so much scope for growth.

A goalscorer, protector, enforcer and leader, all wrapped into one, there is little question that Murillo would settle into Maresca’s starting line-up at Chelsea, surely at Tosin’s expense.

The English centre-half has been an astute addition after joining Chelsea on a free, but now it is time for that ruthless streak that the west Londoners have shown so many times before.

By implementing that success-first strategy, it will only elevate Maresca’s project.

As bad as Tosin: Maresca's 4/10 flop must never start for Chelsea again

Chelsea’s title hopes seemingly went up in smoke away at Leeds United.

By
Robbie Walls

Dec 4, 2025

Game
Register
Service
Bonus