Chelsea youngster Ruben Loftus-Cheek could be given the chance to play first-team football before the season is out

Chelsea and their boss Antonio Conte have been linked with signing every Tom, Dick and Harry in January.

However, so far the only transfer action that has happened at Stamford Bridge is the departures of Brazilian playmaker Oscar and John Obi Mikel to the Chinese Super League.

No doubt the Blues will be looking to strengthen their squad options this month.

There could be another viable option for the league leaders, though, using youngsters they already own. It’s a revolutionary idea I know, but it may just work.

A very capable youngster

Chelsea have been criticised in the past for stockpiling players, espec…

Michael Keane said he is flattered by interest from some of the Premier League s biggest clubs but insists he is happy at Burnley.

Keane has flourished since leaving Manchester United for Burnley in 2015, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City reportedly eyeing the defender.

The 24-year-old Englishman who was sold by former United manager Louis van Gaal has also been linked with a return to Old Trafford.

It s flattering to see, but I m focused on Burnley, Keane said.  We ve got nine games left in the season and we need to make sure we remain in the league.

But to see things like that can only mean you re playing well.

Keane added: I always thought, personally, that I was going to make it at United. A few changes in managers didn t help, s…

Teenage striker Folarin Balogun has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.

The 19-year-old, who has been at the Premier League club since he was aged only nine, has scored twice in six first-team appearances for Mikel Arteta s side this season.

New York-born Balogun, on target against Molde and Dundalk in the Europa League, also has eight goals in 18 PL2 and EFL Trophy games in the 2020-21 campaign.

Gunners boss Arteta believes he has a bright future.

My home. My heart
See you soon Gunners

— Balogun (@fbalogun67)

He said: We have been extremely impressed with Flo this season. He has continually shown his natural ability in many training sessions with us and we have been equally impressed with his early integration into th…

Napoli head coach Gennaro Gattuso joked that he can only mark Lionel Messi in his dreams or on PlayStation as he looked ahead to the upcoming Champions League showdown with Barcelona.

Saturday saw Napoli end their 2019-20 coronavirus-hit Serie A season with a 3-1 victory at home to Lazio – Fabian Luiz, Lorenzo Insigne and Matteo Politano fuelling the win.

Attention now turns to the second leg of Napoli s Champions League last-16 tie against LaLiga giants Barcelona, scheduled for August 8 at Camp Nou following February s 1-1 draw.

Asked about six-time Ballon d Or winner Messi post-match, former Milan midfielder Gattuso told reporters: I can mark Messi only in my dreams.

Or if I set Napoli vs Barcelona on my son s PlayStation, trying to catch him there w…

Spanish giants Real Madrid have turned their attention towards signing Brazilian Thiago Silva as coach Jose Mourinho hunts down a world class centre back, according to sports daily Marca on Sunday.

However, it appears that their interest in signing his Brazilian teammate Maicon from Mourinho s old club Inter Milan has cooled because of the money being demanded by the European champions.

Inter would have lowered their price for Maicon, the only Brazilian to make the World Cup All-Star team, from 35 to 30 million euros, according to the report. However, Real are not prepared to pay more than 28 million euros and now consider Silva a good alternative.

The 25-year-old Silva, who arrived at Milan in 2009 from Fluminese, is under contract until 2013 and has a price ta…

Veteran midfielder Guti said Sunday that he is closing a glorious stage in his career as he parts ways with Real Madrid after 15 seasons with the Spanish giants.

I believe you have to be aware that there are stages that close and in this case for me it is a very glorious stage at Real Madrid which is coming to an end, the 33-year-old told a news conference at the club s Bernabeu stadium.

Guti, who had another year on his contract, said he was considering an offer from Turkish side Besiktas, where he would be coached by German s Bernd Schuster, who managed Real between 2007 and 2008.

I have a good offer from them, an interesting one, now we will see, he said.

I think you have to make room for younger players and know that football is like that.

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Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has moved to quell fears around the injury he picked up in Saturday s crucial 3-2 win at Everton.

Ross Barkley netted a magnificent long-range opener for the hosts but Aguero demonstrated his finishing prowess by firing home an equaliser.

But the injury problems that have plagued the Argentina international since December returned as he hobbled off shortly afterwards, having appeared to aggravate a muscular problem in his leg while drilling his shot beyond Tim Howard.

On the back of a calf strain sustained in City s 6-3 home win over Arsenal and hamstring tweaks at Tottenham and Barcelona in January and March respectively, Aguero s departure was an uncomfortably familiar sight for manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Edin Dzeko goals …

Junior have edged Atletico Nacional 1-0 in the first leg of their Colombia Primera A Apertura final on Sunday.

Edison Toloza s 55th-minute goal saw Julio Comesana s men to the hard-fought win at their Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melendez home.

Junior, seven-time champions, last won a title in 2011 and need another result at Atletico Nacional s Estadio Atanasio Girardot on Wednesday to add to that crown.

The win extended Junior s unbeaten run to six matches, while Atletico s struggles continued.

Perhaps affected by their run to the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals, Atletico have lost four of their past five matches in all competitions.

It was a scrappy winning goal for Junior, with Toloza tapping in from close range after a corner went uncleared by the vis…

Southampton manager Claude Puel will be desperate for revenge against Manchester United

Southampton host Manchester United at St Mary’s in the Premier League on Wednesday evening, and will be determined to get a result as payback for February’s EFL Cup final defeat.

The Saints have a good head-to-head record against the Red Devils and are fancied by the bookmakers as the out-of-form visitors will have a weakened starting eleven.

Southampton won’t lie down in their penultimate home game. Can they win it?

Saints enjoying late-season resurgence

Claud Puel’s Southampton side are currently ninth in the Premier League table with 45 points from 36 games, having won one and drawn two of their last four outings. The South Coast club haven’t been…

Athletic Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde has signed a new contract to keep him at San Mames until June 2017.

The 52-year-old has been in charge of the club since June 2013 and this week insisted he knew nothing of rumours linking him with Real Madrid.

Valverde guided Athletic to finishes of fourth and seventh in his first two seasons in charge, as well as leading them to the Copa del Rey final in 2015, where they lost to Barcelona at Camp Nou.

Urrutia y Valverde firman el acuerdo

— Athletic Club (@AthleticClub)

This season, Athletic got the better of Barca over two legs to win the Supercopa de Espana – the Basque club s first trophy in 31 years.

Athletic are seventh in La Liga with 11 games to go and remain alive in the Europa Lea…