Liam Rosenior has admitted there is still uncertainty surrounding whether teenage winger Estevao will be available for Chelsea’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal.

The Brazilian youngster was absent from Saturday’s thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over West Ham after returning home on compassionate leave. Since Rosenior’s arrival, Estevao has been a regular presence in the side and has played a key role in Chelsea winning six of their seven matches under the new head coach.

The only setback so far in Rosenior’s reign came in the first leg of the semi-final, when Chelsea slipped to a narrow 3-2 defeat at home to Arsenal. Goals from Alejandro Garnacho in that match ensured the tie remains finely balanced, giving the Blues hope of overturning the deficit and reaching the final, where either Manchester City or Newcastle await.

Chelsea would undoubtedly benefit from Estevao’s involvement, but Rosenior stressed that the player’s well-being comes first and that no final call has been made. He explained that the 18-year-old is dealing with personal issues and insisted the decision would be based entirely on what feels right for the player, rather than any external pressure.

The Chelsea boss is also facing a potential setback with Jamie Gittens, who was forced off in the first half against West Ham with what appeared to be a hamstring problem. The extent of the injury is still being assessed. Gittens was one of four players withdrawn before the second half as Rosenior reversed his plan after making seven changes to the starting line-up.

Chelsea struggled badly in the opening period and went into the break two goals down, but a number of senior players were introduced and helped turn the game around. Despite the poor first-half display, Rosenior refused to single out the rotated side for criticism.

He made it clear that he does not believe in having a fixed strongest XI, explaining that the physical demands of top-level football require intelligent squad rotation across the season. Rosenior added that he is still learning about his players after only a few weeks in charge and focuses just as much on selecting the right substitutes as he does the starting line-up. According to him, the impact made by players coming off the bench has been decisive in every match so far, crediting their mindset and attitude rather than any tactical tweaks.

Manchester City have wrapped up their January transfer activity, completing a mix of high-profile arrivals, squad adjustments and several loan moves as they fine-tuned Pep Guardiola’s options for the rest of the season.

City strengthened their first team with two notable permanent signings, bringing in Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth for €72 million and Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace in a deal worth €23 million. The club also boosted depth by recalling Max Alleyne from his loan spell at Watford and Sverre Nypan from Middlesbrough, both returning to the Etihad to provide additional cover.

On the outgoing front, City sanctioned a significant sale with Oscar Bobb joining Fulham for €31.2 million, while goalkeeper Stefan Ortega moved to Nottingham Forest for around €580,000. Mahamadou Susoho, Seb Naylor and Justin Oboavwoduo all departed on free transfers to Kocaelispor, Bristol City and Juventus respectively. Will Dickson completed a move to Chesterfield for an undisclosed fee, while Jadel Katongo joined Kayserispor under similar terms.

Several players were also sent out on short-term loans to gain minutes and experience. Kalvin Phillips joined Sheffield United on a six-month deal, while Claudio Echeverri moved to Girona for the remainder of the season. Divine Mukasa headed to Leicester City, Stephen Mfuni returned to Watford, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey signed for FC Köln, and Jaden Heskey and Joel Ndala both linked up with Sheffield Wednesday. Emilio Lawrence joined Luton Town, while Isaac Smith completed a temporary switch to Barnsley.

With business now concluded, City will turn their full focus to the second half of the campaign, confident they have added quality at the top end while ensuring valuable development pathways for several young players.

Tammy Abraham’s January transfer has quickly become one of the most talked-about deals of the window after a rapid sequence of moves involving Roma, Besiktas and Aston Villa.

The striker completed a permanent switch from Roma to Besiktas on January 26 after spending the season on loan in Turkey, with the Istanbul club activating the purchase clause in his agreement. Besiktas paid roughly €13 million to make the move official.

Remarkably, less than 24 hours later, Abraham was unveiled as a new Aston Villa player following a swift resale.

Villa agreed a €21 million deal, allowing Besiktas to pocket an immediate profit of around €8 million in barely over a day.

The speed and structure of the transfers sparked plenty of online reaction, with fans highlighting it as another example of how unpredictable and fast-moving modern football business can be.

For Abraham, the move represents a return to familiar territory. He previously enjoyed a successful loan spell at Aston Villa during the 2018/19 season, playing a key role in their promotion to the Premier League.

Now 28, he has already made his second debut for the club, featuring in their league defeat to Brentford.