Federico Chiesa’s move to Liverpool has not been as successful as he would have hoped, and AC Milan are lingering in the background waiting for an opportunity to arise.
When the Reds purchased Chiesa in the summer, it was not without risk. In recent years, getting regular minutes from the winger has been rare, and he has struggled to re-find the form from before his ACL injury.
Nevertheless, a fresh chapter was hopefully the end of his struggles. It has not gone like this so far, though, and a move back to Italy could be on the horizon if things do not change in the next month.
As Quotidiano Sportivo (via Milan News) report, the winger would be ‘seriously tempted’ by a return bank to Italy in the winter mercato, and several Serie A teams would benefit with a profile like his. However, with his €7 million salary it could put some teams out of the running.
Right now, it seems that Inter are leading the race for a homecoming, but his role within Simone Inzaghi’s squad would be different to where he has played his best football. The Rossoneri are also lingering in the background, and it is likely that they will continue to evaluate things as the mercato gets nearer.
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Chelsea’s ruthless transfer strategy has gone to another gear this summer, with the Blues now past the stage of selling off the players from the previous regime and into the stage of selling players bought within the last two years if the chance for profit is there. Noni Madueke and Djordje Petrovic are gone, Renato Veiga and Joao Felix are likely to be next as the summer of sales rolls on. High player turnover every summer the new reality for Chelsea It’s an upsetting of the usual order of things in football – you wouldn’t have seen a first team regular like Madueke sold to a league rival in the days of Jose Mourinho. But that’s how it is now. Anyone is for sale at the right price. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be decisions taken for the sake of the group as a whole. Chelsea consider defender “untouchable” for off the field reasons Curiously, given we’re happy to sell first choice players, there’s a fifth choice player who is apparently considered “untouchable.” An exclusive from the Sun over the weekend claimed that Tosin Adarabioyo was not for sale, despite interest from Crystal Palace and West Ham. Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill form Enzo Maresca’s favoured partnership and Trevoh Chalobah seems to be established as third choice now. With the impending arrival of Jorrel Hato, Tosin could soon find himself 5th choice centre-back – but he won’t be going anywhere. That’s because of his dressing room benefits – as one of the senior player who is seen to knit things together behind the scenes despite the endless personnel turnover, plus his close relationship with the team’s star player Cole Palmer. That’s the best kind of job security of all.
The Indiana Fever’s starters turned in a strong all-around effort in Thursday’s 80-70 win over the Las Vegas Aces. The starting unit scored at least 13 points each, save for Aari McDonald, who registered nine points in 22 minutes of action. Indiana’s starters combined for 76 out of the team’s 80 points on the evening, which only means that the four other players who came off the bench accounted for just four points in the game. All that came from Sydney Colson, who went 2-of-5 in 18 minutes of playing time. Lexie Hull, Makayla Timpson and Damiris Dantas all failed to score in the win. Stephanie White Calls Out Fever's Bench Be that as it may, offense wasn’t even the biggest concern for head coach Stephanie White. In her postgame press conference, the veteran shot-caller called out Indiana’s bench for their lack of intensity on the defensive end, particularly in the first half. “Our bench has to be ready,” she said. “I felt like our bench in the second half was really good defensively. In the first half, I didn't feel that way. You got to be ready to come in and you got to be ready to guard your matchup and execute the game plan. "We have depth for a reason. We've got quality depth and we've got to be able to use it. So if fatigue is a factor in execution, then they just need to ask for a sub and I'll get them out and get them back in." It has been a bit of a busy stretch for the Fever at the midway point of the season. Thursday’s matchup against the Aces was their second game in three nights, and they will be back in action again on Sunday in a rivalry showdown against the Chicago Sky. White, however, isn’t accepting fatigue as an excuse. This is regardless of the fact that Caitlin Clark remains out with a re-aggravated groin injury. White is adamant that this roster has been built for adversity, and she didn’t hesitate to put her bench on notice after Thursday’s showing.
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
Despite already making several roster moves this summer, the Edmonton Oilers might not be done just yet. According to Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer, the team could be considering another trade to trim its forward group. “The Oilers already got a lot of forwards right now,” he noted last week. “They might be moving a guy out.” Edmonton has retooled up front following several departures in free agency and trades. The additions of Andrew Mangiapane, Isaac (Ike) Howard, Matt Savoie, and Curtis Lazar were made to help fill those gaps, but there are questions about whether another top-six winger—and possibly a goaltender—are still needed to push the team back into Stanley Cup contention. In order to bring in more help — or at least create the cap room to discuss another move — someone may need to go. Would Henrique Be Open to a Bigger Role and Security Elsewhere? Despite having a no-move clause, Adam Henrique’s name continues to surface when it comes to a roster change. The Oilers are limited in what they can do unless an option he likes pops up. Set to earn $3 million this season, the veteran center may find himself bumped to the fourth line, a pricey role given internal options like Lazar or Noah Philp. The key to any move might be conving him that he’d have a great opportunity to increase his role and earn another contract on a different roster. The Oilers asked Henrique if he’d be open to waiving his no-trade clause. He declined. Whether they’ll revisit that idea down the line if he’s relegated to limited minutes remains to be seen. At 35 years old, Henrique might not have many years left. That said, a two or three-year deal somewhere would help him finish off his career, and he’s not likely to get that in Edmonton. How much does a chance to win trump landing somewhere that wants him and is willing to extend him? If not Henrique, Mattias Janmark is the easier forward to move. With no trade protection and a $1.45 million cap hit, the 32-year-old could be the odd man out—especially after a lackluster offensive year and a recent minor injury. Kasperi Kapanen, also without trade protection, appears safe after signing a new deal this summer. That said, if things start slowly and neither Henrique nor Janmark are moved, the Oilers could explore a Kapanen trade.
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