Chelsea had a tough but rewarding victory! Enzo Maresca’s comments highlight how challenging it can be to break down teams that defend deep and wait for mistakes. The Blues had to stay composed after West Ham took the lead, and it paid off with a well-taken strike from Pedro Neto and some fortune with the own goal from Wan-Bissaka. The win was crucial for Chelsea, pushing them up to fourth and keeping them within striking distance of the top three.

It’s always interesting to hear a manager’s thoughts after such a match, especially in terms of how they deal with the mental challenge of breaking down a defensive setup. How do you think Chelsea’s form has been overall this season?

Carlisle United, currently struggling at the bottom of League Two, is reportedly considering a bold move to appoint Steven Gerrard as their next manager. The club, which recently parted ways with manager Mike Williamson, is said to be exploring the possibility of bringing in the former England captain to try and avoid relegation from the EFL.

Gerrard, who left his role at Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia after 18 months, is seen as an unlikely candidate for a League Two relegation battle. The prospect of him taking on such a challenge would be considered a long shot by many, but Carlisle’s American owners, who took control of the club in November 2023, are reportedly eager to explore this option.

At the same time, former Bolton boss Ian Evatt has emerged as the bookmakers’ favorite for the role. Carlisle’s decision to sack Williamson on transfer deadline day coincides with the club’s active efforts to improve their squad, having brought in 12 new players during the current window.

Manchester City has successfully completed the deadline-day signing of Nicolás González from FC Porto, marking Pep Guardiola’s fourth acquisition of the winter transfer window. González, a 23-year-old midfielder, has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Premier League champions, keeping him at the club until 2029. This follows City’s earlier signings of Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Omar Marmoush.

González expressed his excitement about the move, calling it “the perfect opportunity” at this stage of his career and emphasizing that Manchester City is the ideal place for him to test himself in England, given the world-class players and coaching staff at the club.

In other news, Manchester City confirmed that 19-year-old Jacob Wright has joined Norwich City on loan for the remainder of the 2024/25 season. Wright, who has made four senior appearances for City, will continue his development at Carrow Road for the rest of the campaign, with the club wishing him well for the season ahead.

Manchester City made a splash on transfer deadline day by securing a €60 million deal for midfielder Nicolás González from FC Porto. The Premier League champions ended up meeting the player’s release clause, despite initially being hesitant. Part of the deal involves a significant payment to González’s former club, Barcelona, as much as 40% of the total transfer fee, due to a clause in his contract.

The 23-year-old Spaniard is eager to prove himself in England, joining City to take on the challenge of playing with a squad filled with world-class talent. González expressed his excitement about the move, particularly the opportunity to work with Pep Guardiola, whose reputation as a top coach was a major factor in his decision.

With the addition of González, City’s total spending in January has reached around €210 million, following the earlier signings of Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Vitor Reis. This makes Manchester City the biggest spenders in the Premier League during this transfer window.

Chelsea has made some moves in the final hours of the 2025 winter transfer window, with two players, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi, leaving the club to join Premier League rivals.

Chilwell has made the switch to Crystal Palace on a loan deal for the rest of the season. He expressed his excitement about the move, highlighting the club’s strong recent performances and the direction they’re heading in as key factors in his decision to join.

On the other hand, Disasi will be spending the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign at Aston Villa, also on loan. Chelsea issued a statement wishing him well for his time at Villa Park, and it appears the move is motivated by the lack of consistent playing time for both players under Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca this season.

Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed his frustration with the ongoing discussions about him reaching 1,000 career goals, stating that it is becoming “a bit annoying” to constantly talk about it. Despite being on the verge of this monumental achievement, with 923 goals from 1,261 games, he emphasized that he isn’t obsessed with it.

Ronaldo, currently playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, has been an incredible force in football history, being the only player to score over 900 official goals. He’s also the all-time leader in international goals for men’s football. His fans eagerly anticipate his 1,000th goal, but Ronaldo made it clear that while he’d be thrilled to achieve it, he doesn’t want the focus to be solely on that milestone.

At 39, he continues to deliver strong performances, with 23 goals and 4 assists from 25 games this season. Ronaldo’s perspective shows that while he appreciates the accolades, he values his ongoing contributions to the game more than just hitting a specific number.

“Trabzonspor to Renew Efforts to Sign Paul Onuachu After Successful Loan Spell”

Trabzonspor is set to renew its efforts to sign Southampton striker Paul Onuachu, according to Daily Post. Onuachu, who enjoyed a successful loan spell with the Turkish club last season, scoring 17 goals in 25 appearances, has been a key target for the Black Sea Storm.

Negotiations for a permanent transfer had stalled in the previous window due to disagreements over the €15 million transfer fee demanded by Southampton. However, with Onuachu now thriving under Southampton’s new manager Ivan Juric, including scoring the winning goal in their 2-1 victory over Ipswich Town, it remains to be seen whether the Saints will be willing to sell the Nigerian striker this time around.

With the Turkish transfer window closing on February 11, Trabzonspor will look to finalize a deal, but the outcome will depend on whether Southampton is open to parting ways with Onuachu after his recent resurgence.

Marcus Rashford might have played his last game for Manchester United.

The 27-year-old is unlikely to represent the Red Devils again in future after completing a loan move to Aston Villa on Sunday.

Rashford, who had fallen out of favour under new manager, Ruben Amorim, last made an appearance for United on December 12.

Villa have agreed to sign him on a short-term deal, but they have the option to make the deal permanent for £40million in the summer.

According to The Guardian, while Rashford’s present move is temporary, it is highly unlikely that the player will ever return to Old Trafford.

The England international’s current contract with United runs until 2028. But the player is expected to leave agan on a second loan spell next summer if the Villans refuse to buy him permanently.

The report adds that Rashford’s relationship with his boyhood club has completely broken down and he won’t return to the club in the future even if manager Amorim leaves the team.

Chelsea on Monday recalled two of their players from loan.

The Blues disclosed this in seperate statements via their website.

The two players are forward David Fofana and defender Caleb Wiley.

Fofana was recalled his loan spell at Goztepe S.K, while Wiley was recalled from his loan at Strasbourg.

The Ivorian joined Chelsea in January 2023 and made four first-team appearances during the remainder of that season.

However, according to Chelsea, Fofana is expected to join manager Enzo Maresca’s team for the reminder of the season.

Wiley, on the other hand, will spend the remainder of the campaign at Championship club Watford.

“We look forward to supporting Caleb throughout his time at Watford,” Chelsea’s statement partly read. “Good luck, Caleb!”