Football
Premier League flops of the season featuring Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea stars
While Liverpool and Mohamed Salah claimed the spotlight at the summit of the Premier League, the season painted a much grimmer picture for others in the division.
The three sides promoted last year all dropped back down to the Championship, with Southampton’s performances at one stage appearing close to eclipsing Derby County’s infamous 11-point season.
For Manchester United, a historically disastrous campaign ended with a 16th-place finish and disappointment in a European final, leaving the club at a crossroads.
On a player level, several individuals had seasons to forget. One of them was Arijanet Muric at Ipswich Town.
The goalkeeper struggled with form and consistency, committing five errors directly leading to goals in just 18 appearances—matching Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez for the most such mistakes in the league.
His season ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury after losing his starting spot earlier in the campaign.
Vladimir Coufal’s time at West Ham came to an end after a season that highlighted a decline in the full-back’s performances. With just 11 league starts, the veteran was clearly no longer the reliable figure fans had grown used to.
Meanwhile, his teammate Konstantinos Mavropanos endured a difficult season in central defense, with frequent criticism of his form. The Greek defender started only two of West Ham’s final seven matches and may face more competition for his place as the club reshapes its squad under new management.
Tottenham’s Radu Dragusin was brought in to provide depth at center-back, but he failed to impress when given the opportunity. After stepping in during injuries to Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, Dragusin looked vulnerable and error-prone.
A serious ACL injury cut his campaign short and leaves questions about his role going forward.
At Arsenal, Oleksandr Zinchenko found himself increasingly out of favor. Having made just four Premier League starts—compared to 20 the year before—the Ukrainian looks set for a summer exit, especially with the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly pushing him down the pecking order.
Kalvin Phillips hoped a move to Ipswich would offer a fresh start after a disastrous loan spell at West Ham. Instead, his season was marked by further setbacks, including frequent injuries and erratic form.
The midfielder started just 14 games and was unable to help Ipswich avoid the drop. With a return to Manchester City on the horizon, another transfer looks likely.
Oliver Skipp was a £20 million signing for Leicester City, but the former Tottenham midfielder struggled to find rhythm in his new environment.
Across two managers—Steve Cooper and Ruud van Nistelrooy—Skipp managed only nine league starts and failed to establish himself in the Foxes’ midfield.
Manchester City’s Phil Foden entered the season fresh from winning Player of the Year but experienced a dramatic drop-off.
Scoring just seven league goals compared to 19 the season prior, Foden also found himself relegated to the bench, starting only once in City’s last ten matches across all competitions.
At Chelsea, Christopher Nkunku’s second season was little better than his injury-hit first. While he recorded 14 goals across all competitions, only three came in the Premier League.
With limited game time and reduced impact under Enzo Maresca, Nkunku’s future at Stamford Bridge appears uncertain, especially as Chelsea eyes another striker to challenge Nicolas Jackson.
Raheem Sterling spent the season on loan at Arsenal but made little impression. Despite injuries to several key attackers, Sterling was rarely used and found the net just once—a goal that came in a September win over Bolton in the League Cup.
His return to Chelsea seems inevitable, though his long-term future remains unclear.
Finally, Rasmus Hojlund endured a frustrating campaign at Manchester United. The young striker’s goal tally dropped from 10 in his debut season to just four this year.
A 21-game goalless stretch underlined his struggles, and with potential new arrivals like Matheus Cunha and possibly Liam Delap, Hojlund’s role in the squad could diminish significantly.
Juventus are reportedly set to compete with Napoli for the signing of Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho this summer.
The 25-year-old is back at Old Trafford following a season-long loan at Chelsea, where he made a solid impact with five goals and 10 assists across 41 competitive appearances. He also found the net in Chelsea’s convincing 4-1 victory in last month’s Conference League final, though his efforts were not enough to convince the club to make the deal permanent.
Chelsea were initially expected to secure Sancho for £25 million as part of their loan agreement but ultimately chose to walk away from the obligation. As a result, they were required to pay Manchester United a £5 million penalty fee.
Despite being under contract with United, Sancho is not considered part of manager Ruben Amorim’s long-term plans. If he fails to secure a transfer in the coming weeks, the winger is expected to be left out of the club’s pre-season tour to the United States.
Juventus enter the race for Sancho
Napoli had previously emerged as the frontrunner for Sancho’s signature, with the player reportedly reaching a verbal agreement with the Serie A champions. However, a deal between Manchester United and Napoli has yet to be finalized.
According to Sky Sports News, Juventus have now entered the picture, exploring the financial and contractual terms of a potential move. The Turin-based side is seriously evaluating the opportunity to sign the England international, who has earned 23 senior caps.
Is Juventus the right fit for Sancho?
Juventus manager Igor Tudor is preparing for his first full season in charge after leading the team to a top-four finish last term. Known for deploying a 3-4-2-1 formation, Tudor’s system does not traditionally utilize wide wingers like Sancho.
If he joins Juventus, Sancho would likely compete for one of the two attacking midfield spots behind the main striker—a role that currently sees strong competition from Kenan Yildiz, Francisco Conceicao, and Nico Gonzalez. Unless one of these players is sold, Sancho might struggle to find regular playing time in Turin.
Napoli, on the other hand, could offer a more suitable environment for the former Borussia Dortmund star. With the club still looking to replace Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who departed in January, Sancho may find more opportunities to thrive in his preferred position on the wing.
Nicolas Jackson endured a nightmare cameo as Chelsea collapsed in the second half against Flamengo during their FIFA Club World Cup clash, suffering a 3-1 defeat that puts their tournament hopes at risk.
Chelsea initially took the lead through Pedro Neto, whose composed finish through the goalkeeper’s legs gave the Premier League side a promising start. However, the momentum quickly shifted after the break.
Flamengo responded in ruthless fashion, netting twice in quick succession. Substitute Bruno Henrique capitalized on a defensive lapse to slot home from close range, followed by another back-post finish from Danilo that stunned the Blues and put the Brazilian side ahead.
Matters worsened for Chelsea when substitute Nicolas Jackson was shown a straight red card just four minutes after entering the pitch.
His dangerous challenge saw his studs connect with Lucas Ayrton’s shin, leaving the referee with little choice but to send him off immediately.
Flamengo sealed the win with a third goal, as Wallace Yan added the final blow to a chaotic second half that Chelsea will want to forget.
The result means Chelsea must now beat African side ES Tunis in their next match on Tuesday to progress to the last 16. However, finishing second in the group could set them up for a much tougher path, likely facing the winner of Group C, which may include Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich.
Flamengo’s victory strengthens their bid to top Group D and extends the unbeaten run of South American teams in the Club World Cup’s newly expanded format.
Flamengo vs Chelsea Highlight
Monterrey secured their spot in this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup by winning the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League, now known as the CONCACAF Cup.
Fast forward four years, and the team returned to the international stage at the Rose Bowl with only one player from that title-winning squad still in the lineup: veteran goalkeeper Esteban Andrada. The club had not lifted any silverware since that 2021 triumph, which made what happened next even more unexpected.
In a surprising twist, Monterrey opened the scoring against Inter Milan in the 25th minute, as Sergio Ramos delivered a perfectly placed header.
The Spanish defender, who joined the Mexican outfit earlier this year on a one-year deal reportedly worth $4 million, had cited the Club World Cup as a major influence in his decision to sign. His goal sent the Monterrey fans into wild celebrations.
However, their joy didn’t last long. Inter’s star forward Lautaro Martínez—fresh off a World Cup win—responded with a close-range finish following a perfectly orchestrated set-piece.
The Argentine’s goal silenced the Rayados-dominated crowd and brought the game level at 1-1 before halftime.
The second half saw both teams tighten up defensively, limiting each other’s chances as the game wore on.
Inter, still recovering from a heavy defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in last month’s UEFA Champions League final, looked eager to reassert themselves. But it was Monterrey who rose to the occasion, matching their European opponents stride for stride and leaving the pitch with their heads held high after a gritty performance.
Monterrey 1-1 Inter Milan Highlights
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