Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca hopes the Premier League will alter their financial rules so clubs are not encouraged to sell their academy players.

When clubs sell players from the academy, the entirety of the transfer fee goes down as ‘pure profit’ and this can be beneficial to those who are battling against the league’s profit and sustainability rules.

Chelsea have already shown this in the past, selling the likes of Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to Manchester United and AC Milan respectively. 

The Blues have also done so during the current transfer window, with Lewis Hall and Omari Hutchinson completing moves away from Stamford Bridge for a reported combined total of £46m. 

Nevertheless, Maresca said the rules acted against the romance of the game, with supporters wanting to see their academy products remain at the club for their whole careers, also reiterating that it was not just an issue for his side.

“It’s not only us, it’s all the Premier League clubs. It’s a shame because in Italy, we have Totti with Roma, 20 years with the same club – one club man," Maresca said.

"We love that in football, the fans want to see that. But with the rules now it is different than the past.”

The sale of academy players has helped Chelsea to spend a lavish £1bn in the past four transfer windows, but Maresca believes these rules have benefitted all the big sides in the Premier League.

He said: “It is not only Chelsea spending money on players. It’s all the big clubs to try and buy players.

“Some of the clubs spend more, some spend less. My personal opinion is it’s a shame because we like to see a one club man but the rules are different.”

When asked whether he thinks the rules should change, he said: “If they want to protect academy players, then probably yes.”

Eddie Howe is hopeful that Newcastle United can bring in a new signing soon after their resounding 4-1 win over Urawa Reds in Japan on Wednesday.

Alexander Isak opened the scoring early on before Rio Nitta levelled for the J. League side. Nick Pope then saved a penalty before Jacob Murphy scored a brace, netting either side of half-time.

Lewis Hall then rounded off the scoring just after the hour mark to ensure Newcastle made it two wins from two in pre-season.

Howe was keen to protect his players during the game as Isak was removed early on, but he was also forced to play Joelinton in defence for the final 10 minutes without a ready replacement.

Newcastle are looking to expand their squad depth, and when asked about transfer plans, Howe gave a small hint that someone could be coming soon.

"I hope so, but I have no idea how close things are," Howe said after the game.

"I hope so. We are working hard to make things happen."

Newcastle beat Hull City 2-0 in their opening pre-season match on Saturday and are currently in Japan for their tour.

The Magpies will face Yokohama before flying home to host Girona and Brest at St. James' Park, and Howe was pleased with what he saw in their second friendly as they step up their preparations for the new Premier League season.

"I thought it was a good game and good conditions to improve our fitness levels," he added.

"It was a little bit cooler at kick-off but still a hot and humid day. It has certainly helped the players, but we still have lots to improve on. I thought mentally we could not complain about the players."

Newcastle United have completed the signing of Serbia youth international Miodrag Pivas.

The 19-year-old defender, who can also play as a defensive midfielder, is the Magpies' fifth arrival ahead of the 2024-25 season, after Odysseas Vlachodimos, Lloyd Kelly, Lewis Hall and John Ruddy.

Pivas joins Newcastle from Jedinstvo, who he helped gain promotion to the Serbian Super Liga last term, while he has also turned out for Austrian sides Siezenheim and Grodig.

"It's absolutely unbelievable to join such a big club like Newcastle United and I cannot wait to get started," he told the club's official website. "I see the project of the club, and it looks great, which helped convince me to sign for Newcastle.

"I see the young players have developed very well here, and I would like to do the same - to develop and get into Newcastle's first team. I'm very excited."

Darren Eales, Newcastle's CEO, added: "Miodrag is a promising talent with high potential. Our recruitment network is continuing to watch young players like Miodrag around the world with a view to identifying and developing them into first-team players of the future.

"We are pleased to welcome him to Newcastle United, and we look forward to supporting his development at this important stage of his career."

Bruno Fernandes says Manchester United must "finish the season in the best way" following their 3-2 win over Newcastle United.

The United youngsters played starring roles, with Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund getting all three goals to close the gap to Newcastle in the table.

Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall both netted for the Magpies, with the latter setting up a nervy finish with his stoppage-time effort, but their lack of clinical edge meant United earned all three points.

Erik ten Hag’s side avoided a third consecutive defeat, and what would have been a record-breaking 10th home loss of the season, and Fernandes insists they must find a way to finish positively. 

Speaking to Sky Sports, the United captain said: "Obviously the job isn’t finished yet. We still have one game in the Premier League, then the biggest game of the season, the FA Cup final.

"It has been a tough season. The table shows that, and we are all aware of that. The fans have been amazing and behind us all season. We all appreciate what they have been doing for us.

"We want to do better and do differently. They [fans] have been amazing for us, and we had to do something. We have been trying, but results don’t show that. We have been working hard and everyone has been giving their best. It is not enough, and we have to do more.

"We still have two games to go, and we have to finish in the best way.

"It doesn’t exist, a captain's performance, it is a team performance. I am no different from anyone just because I have the armband. I always try my best, and we always do the best we can for the club – nobody hides that we play for a big club, and we have to lift our standards every game."

Despite returning to winning ways, United have now conceded 58 Premier League goals this season, their most across a single campaign in the competition.

Ten Hag was keen to turn the focus away from their struggling defence and onto the attacking players instead.

"Fantastic. Great goals. But it was a team effort how we made the goals. But I'm always happy at young players who are progressing very good and scored some brilliant goals," he told BBC Sport.

"Newcastle have a lot of physical power, and you have to match that, but you also have to play football. We had found the really good balance in this.

"It's always nice to win any game. It's important to win the last game at Old Trafford this season. The fans deserve this because they've had difficult times and always stayed with us.

"We are here together. We wanted to pay the fans back."

 

Dominic Calvert-Lewin came off the bench to deny Newcastle victory but could not spare Everton an unwanted record of 13 Premier League games without victory.

The England international converted an 87th-minute penalty – his first goal since October – to cancel out Alexander Isak’s first-half opener and secure a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park as the Magpies were made to pay for missed chances.

Dan Burn had seen a second-half strike ruled out for offside after a VAR review and both sides were denied by the woodwork and ultimately neither got what they really needed.

Having lost Tino Livramento, Jamaal Lascelles and Miguel Almiron to injury and Anthony Gordon to suspension, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was forced to make changes.

Loan signing Lewis Hall was handed just a second league start as he, Emil Krafth, Elliot Anderson and Saturday’s match-winner Harvey Barnes were drafted in.

An Everton side bolstered by the inclusion of Vitaly Mykolenko, Idrissa Gueye, Ashley Young and Beto found itself under early pressure and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had to make a vital block from Barnes with less than two minutes gone.

Gueye smashed a left-foot shot over after Dwight McNeil had expertly controlled Pickford’s long ball and squared, and James Tarkowski powered a header just too high from a McNeil free-kick as the Toffees responded.

However, it was the Magpies who took the lead with 15 minutes gone when Barnes lifted the ball over the top for Isak, who cut inside Jarrad Branthwaite and evaded the covering Tarkowski before drilling a low shot past the helpless Pickford.

Jacob Murphy blasted a 28th-minute drive just over as the Everton defence retreated in front of him, but Beto sliced an attempt horribly wide and Abdoulaye Doucoure curled a 43rd-minute shot into Martin Dubravka’s waiting arms at the other end.

Pickford blocked Murphy’s volley with his legs after Hall had floated a cross beyond the far post and Isak blasted just too high in stoppage time as Newcastle headed in at the break in control but knowing there was work still to be done.

Tarkowski was relieved to see his attempted clearance from a Murphy corner come back off the frame of his own goal, and the Magpies thought they had extended their lead with 58 minutes gone when Isak turned Murphy’s quickly-taken free-kick across goal and Burn fired home, but a VAR check ruled that the Sweden international had been offside.

The visitors came desperately close to an equaliser with 66 minutes gone when substitute James Garner turned smartly and fired beyond Dubravka only to see his effort come back off the foot of a post.

Mykolenko headed Isak’s goal-bound shot off the line and Barnes blazed across the face of goal in quick succession and although Dubravka palmed away Young’s well-struck shot, Pickford had to save from Bruno Guimaraes seconds later.

However, the Toffees were handed a way back into the game with just three minutes remaining when referee Tony Harrington was advised to review substitute Paul Dummett’s clumsy challenge on Young and Calvert-Lewin duly obliged from the spot.

Erik ten Hag promised he was a “fighter” after Manchester United slumped to a 3-0 Carabao Cup home defeat to Newcastle to pile more pressure on him.

Defeat in the rematch of last season’s final – which United won to highlight a promising first season in charge for the Dutchman – meant United have lost eight of their opening 15 fixtures in all competitions this term, their worst start since the 1962-63 campaign.

Goals from Miguel Almiron, Lewis Hall and Joe Willock ensured a second consecutive 3-0 home defeat for United, comfortably beaten by rivals Manchester City on Sunday, and they were booed off at both half-time and full-time as Ten Hag was left facing some serious questions.

“I am a fighter and I know it is not always going up,” he said.

“We have a lot of setbacks this season so far, but also you have to deal with it and that is never an excuse.

“I have said that before I know when there are setbacks the routines are not the same, but even then you have to get results in. Obviously, Sunday and tonight were far from that so we have to do things right and at a certain level, at the minimum level to win games.”

Questions of Ten Hag were already being asked after Sunday’s derby defeat left United 11 points from the top of the Premier League table after 10 games.

The former Ajax boss said he accepted that, but insisted he had no doubts about his own abilities.

“I understand it when the results are not there,” he said.

“It is also a logical process that they are questioning that. But I am confident I can do it. At all my clubs I have done it and also last year here I did it as well, but at this moment we are in a bad place.

“I take responsibility for it. I see it as a challenge. I am a fighter and I am in that fight and I have to make sure that I share the responsibility with my players and that we stick together and fight together, and get better results.”

Both sides made several changes from the weekend, but even with Newcastle’s resources stretched by injuries they looked by far the sharper of the two sides, winning the midfield battles and finding space going forward, often far too easily down United’s right-hand side in the first half.

“It is below the standards everyone expect from Manchester United,” Ten Hag said.

“It is not good enough by far. We have to put it right. I take responsibility for it. It is my team and they are not performing. I have to share it with my players, but I am responsible.”

Defeat was not the only blow for United with Casemiro, back after a three-game absence, withdrawn at half-time with an unspecified injury which Ten Hag said would rule the Brazilian out of Saturday’s trip to Fulham.

While United assessed the damage, Newcastle enjoyed lengthy celebrations with their loud travelling support after their first Old Trafford victory since December 2013.

“It was a massive performance from the players and I can’t credit them enough,” said Eddie Howe.

“Some great stories, only (an injury to) Matt Targett the negative, but even more credit to the players and some giant performances.

“I personally have always found it a difficult ground and Newcastle the same so another thing to be really proud of the commitment showed by everyone. I thought we showed some great goals, the quality was a real highlight.

“We are determined to try and do well in every game. We picked a team we felt could win and now we will do the same for Arsenal (on Saturday).”

Manchester United’s woes continued as their defence of the Carabao Cup ended with a 3-0 loss to Newcastle at Old Trafford.

The fourth-round rematch between last season’s finalists saw Newcastle strike twice in the first half through Miguel Almiron and Lewis Hall.

Joe Willock then added a third just past the hour mark as Erik ten Hag’s side slumped to an eighth defeat in all competitions this season, and second 3-0 reverse at home in four days following Sunday’s loss to Manchester City.

Arsenal were also eliminated, going down 3-1 at West Ham as Declan Rice returned to the London Stadium.

An early Ben White own-goal put the Hammers in front and finishes from Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen followed after the break before Martin Odegaard scored a consolation goal for the Gunners in stoppage time.

Liverpool advanced to the quarter-finals with a 2-1 win at Bournemouth sealed by substitute Darwin Nunez’s stunning strike.

The Uruguayan fired in what proved the winner in the 70th minute, six minutes after Justin Kluivert’s first Bournemouth goal had cancelled out Cody Gakpo’s first-half opener.

Chelsea beat Blackburn 2-0 at Stamford Bridge courtesy of goals in either half from Benoit Badiashile and Raheem Sterling.

Everton boss Sean Dyche saw his side beat his old club Burnley 3-0 at Goodison Park, with ex-Claret James Tarkowski, Amadou Onana and Ashley Young getting on the scoresheet.

Fulham won 3-1 at Championship high-fliers Ipswich. Harry Wilson, Muniz and Tom Cairney put the Cottagers three goals up before Elkan Baggott reduced the deficit late on.

Miguel Almiron, Lewis Hall and Joe Willock fired Newcastle to a famous first Old Trafford victory in a decade as Carabao Cup holders Manchester United suffered a second 3-0 home humiliation in four days.

Wednesday’s fourth-round clash was a repeat of the final eight months ago at Wembley, where Erik ten Hag crowned a promising first season in the hotseat by ending the club’s six-year wait for silverware.

But things have gone awry since then and pressure will intensify on the Dutchman and his team after Newcastle inflicted the Red Devils’ eighth defeat in 15 matches to progress to the quarter-finals.

The fallout to this tie is sure to be dominated by Ten Hag’s United after seeing Sunday’s derby humbling against Manchester City compounded, but this was Newcastle’s night.

The Magpies had only won one of their previous 41 away matches against the Red Devils in all competitions, and few will forget their first Old Trafford triumph since December 2013.

England were joined for training by three members of the Under-20 set-up as preparations continued for the matches in Ukraine and Scotland.

Gareth Southgate’s side men head to Poland to take on Ukraine in a Euro 2024 qualifier on Saturday, before heading to Glasgow for a friendly three days later.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jack Grealish withdrew from the initial 26-man selection on Monday through injury, with 21 of the remaining players taking part in the full session at St George’s Park the following day.

Callum Wilson, Bukayo Saka and uncapped Levil Colwill were not involved in training due to load management, with Lewis Hall among the three prospects brought up from the England Under-20s squad to help make up the numbers.

The talented 18-year-old left-back joined Newcastle on a season-long loan from Chelsea last month, with an obligation to buy depending on performance-related criteria.

Fellow Chelsea product Bashir Humphreys was another involved. The 20-year-old defender is on loan at Sky Bet Championship outfit Swansea.

Tottenham midfielder Alfie Devine was the other to link up with the senior squad for training. The 19-year-old is currently on loan at League One side Port Vale.

Lewis Hall has joined Newcastle on a season-long loan from Chelsea with the option for a permanent deal for the defender.

The clubs have been in negotiations over a move for the 18-year-old academy graduate since last week, with Eddie Howe’s side having come in with an initial offer of £28million.

The PA news agency understands that should Newcastle choose to make the deal permanent in a year’s time, the deal will include an additional £7m in possible add-ons plus a sell-on fee owed to Chelsea should he later depart.

Hall agreed a new six-year contract to stay at Stamford Bridge earlier in August but Newcastle’s interest has persuaded the Blues to part company with a player who made 11 first-team appearances last season, including nine in the Premier League.

In a difficult season for the club, the teenager’s integration into the senior set-up was one of a few bright spots, with one of his most impressive performances coming against his new side in a 1-1 draw on the last day of the season.

His first start had come in a 1-0 defeat at St James’ Park in November, playing 73 minutes before being substituted, and after impressing interim boss Frank Lampard he went on to start in each of Chelsea’s final four games of the season.

He first joined the club aged eight and progressed through the academy set-up before making his first-team debut under former manager Thomas Tuchel in a 5-1 win against Chesterfield in the FA Cup third round in January 2022 aged just 17, making him the youngest player to appear for the club in the competition.

During Chelsea’s injury crisis that struck immediately following last year’s World Cup he was pressed into action as an emergency midfielder, enduring a difficult game as the team were dumped out of the FA Cup 4-0 by Manchester City in January.

He becomes Newcastle’s fifth singing of the season as they prepare to make their first appearance in the Champions League since 2003.

Newcastle have reached agreement with Chelsea over a deal for teenage defender Lewis Hall.

The PA news agency understands that talks over the 18-year-old’s move to Tyneside have reached a successful conclusion and that he will become the club’s fourth major summer signing.

Magpies head coach Eddie Howe confirmed his interest in Hall at his pre-match press conference on Friday morning, and indicated that the move – initially at least – would be on a loan basis.

Asked about the player, Howe said: “Let’s wait and see what happens today. He’s a player that I like, very versatile, really good potential.”

Asked further if the move would be on a loan basis after admitting last week that the club would have to be “creative” in following up summer swoops for Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento, Howe added: “Yes, I think it is, yes.”

Howe also confirmed that completion of the deal would effectively bring an end to the club’s incoming transfer business.

He said: “I think if we were able to bring a player in, that would be our transfer business concluded unless there were injuries within our own players.”

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.