Joao Pedro made a "dream" debut for Chelsea as he scored a brace in the club's 2-0 win over Fluminense in the Club World Cup semi-finals on Tuesday. Pedro issued an apology to his boyhood club but expressed his delight after firing Chelsea into the final in his first game since joining the Blues from Brighton.
Joao Pedro wasted no time making an impact at Chelsea, scoring a stunning brace on his first start in their Club World Cup semi-final clash against Fluminense. The Brazilian forward, who spent his formative football years with the Rio-based club, showed both class and composure with a curling strike from outside the box, and followed up with a superb drive from 18 yards.
Bayern Munich are reportedly considering a move for Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku and Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze as part of their summer rebuild. Nkunku arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2023 with high expectations after a standout spell with RB Leipzig. However, the French international has endured a challenging period in west London, with injuries and inconsistent form severely limiting his impact.
Former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has backed Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez to join the Blues this summer, claiming the Argentine could be an "inspiration" in their dressing room. Martinez appeared to bid a tearful goodbye to Aston Villa fans after their final home game of the 2024-25 campaign against Tottenham in May, though he has yet to publicly confirm he wants to leave the club.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca claimed that European clubs came to the Club World Cup after gruelling campaigns compared to South American teams but was left speechless when it was pointed out that the Blues' semi-final opponents, Fluminense, have played more matches than them since the summer of 2024. Chelsea appeared in 63 matches across all competitions before heading to the United States.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Noni Madueke will play in the Club World Cup semi-final against Fluminense despite being linked with a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal this summer. The winger has featured in all of the Blues' Club World Cup matches thus far, including the quarter-final win against Palmeiras, where he came on as a substitute in the second half.
Chelsea-bound Estevao Willian rejected a chance to join up with Blues squad for the remainder of the Club World Cup in the US as he wanted to bid a proper goodbye to his boyhood club Palmeiras. The youngster scored in his final game for the Brazilian side against his future club but they crashed out of the competition after suffering a 2-1 defeat in the quarter-finals.
Barcelona have confirmed a two-year contract extension for Wojciech Szczesny, keeping the veteran goalkeeper at Camp Nou until 2027. The Polish shot-stopperâs new deal casts fresh doubt over Marc-Andre ter Stegenâs future, with Chelsea and Monaco both monitoring the Germanâs situation as Barca prepare for life with a new-look goalkeeping hierarchy with Joan Garcia leading the line.
Chelseaâs hopes of signing AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan have been dashed after new Rossoneri manager Massimiliano Allegri confirmed the France international will stay at San Siro. Despite advanced talks between the clubs in June, the deal collapsed over a fee disagreement â and Allegri has now firmly ruled out any chance of a revived move this summer.
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Chelsea
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