Chelsea have managed to pin down the highly rated young defender Josh Acheampong to a new long-term contract.

Acheampong only made his first senior start for the club in last week’s Conference League clash with Astana in Kazakhstan’s capital, but has long since been considered a promising talent.

The 18-year-old has already broken into the under-21 side and extended his deal to June 2026 at the start of the year. Negotiations over a further extension stalled this season, leading to a frosty standoff between the player and club. Acheampong was banned from all club activities at any level until he committed his future to Chelsea.

This fractious vacuum opened a window for Real Madrid to register an interest in the prodigious right-back.

Tensions have cooled in recent months and, after The Athletic first revealed an agreement had been reached, Chelsea formally confirmed an extension had been signed.

There is no talk of a salary, but the initial report describes the agreement as a “statement of intent” for the recruitment department. Alongside Madrid, several Premier League clubs were also interested in the 18-year-old.

Chelsea captain Reece James is a significant barrier to Acheampong’s route into the first team. Even during the skipper’s numerous injury layoffs, Malo Gusto offers a senior alternative to the academy graduate.

While Acheampong’s Premier League involvement may remain limited in the near future, he will now be free to be called upon in the various cup competitions which Chelsea are involved in. The Blues still have one remaining Conference League first-round tie against Shamrock Rovers and have been drawn against fourth-tier Morecambe in the third round of the FA Cup.

90min

Manchester United are ready to loan Marcus Rashford out in the January transfer window to give him the opportunity to raise his transfer value, as they did with Jadon Sancho. (Graeme Bailey)

Potentially replacing Rashford could be Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, who had been identified as the dream signing by Man Utd officials. (Fichajes – Spain)

Arsenal are leading the race to sign Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, but Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Leicester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur are all interested in his services. (CaughtOffside)

Bournemouth have opened talks to sign Lanus left-back Julio Soler amid uncertainty over the future of Milos Kerkez. (Uriel Lugt)

Manchester City are ready to bid €50m (£41.4m) for AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who has been personally identified as a target by manager Pep Guardiola. (Fichajes – Spain)

Also on Man City’s radar are Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani and Brighton’s Evan Ferguson. (GIVEMESPORT)

Real Madrid are ready to sell centre-backs Eder Militao and David Alaba at the end of the season. (Real Madrid Confidencial)

Liverpool’s contract talks with winger Luis Diaz have stalled because the Colombia international is pushing for a move to Barcelona. (Antena2 – Colombia)

Galatasaray are in talks to sign Roma forward Paulo Dybala, whose contract expires this summer. (Sky Sports Germany)

PSG centre-back Milan Skriniar is also in advanced talks over a loan move to Galatasaray. (Ertan Suzgun)

West Ham United have been following 22-year-old Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu. (Fabrizio Romano)

Everton are looking at Rangers striker Hamza Igamane amid questions over the futures of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto. (TBR Football)

Aston Villa could recall midfielder Enzo Barrenechea from his loan with Valencia in January. (Estadio Deportivo – Spain)

90min

Manchester United need to raise funds and quickly, so here are six potential transfers in 2025 that could bring in £200m for Ruben Amorim’s huge rebuild.

The extraordinary finish to the Manchester derby should give Amorim‘s underperforming squad a much-needed confidence boost, but Man Utd (nor Man City, really) deserved to take all three points from a bizarre match.

So, the fact remains that the Red Devils require an almighty rebuild in 2025 as Amorim – who has inherited a basket case of a club suffering after years of poor off-field decisions – has a massive job ahead of him.

It feels like Groundhog Day again, as this was also the case in 2022 upon Erik ten Hag’s arrival. Since the Dutchman’s appointment, dire recruitment has contributed to Man Utd arguably going backwards rather than forwards.

Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe supposedly brought in the ‘best in class’ to support him but it remains to be seen whether his increasingly laughable regime is up to the task of leading Man Utd.

Failings in the transfer market leave Amorim with fewer than ten ‘unsellables’ and upgrades are required all over the pitch if they are to return to challenging for the Premier League and Champions League any time soon.

Unfortunately for Amorim, Man Utd have a ‘tight budget’ heading into the winter transfer window and may have to sell players to raise funds.

So, from the least expensive potential deal upwards, here are six somewhat feasible 2025 sales (fees taken from transfermarkt) they could sanction to bolster Amorim’s war chest…

Casemiro to Galatasaray (£10m)
Ratcliffe and co. are rueing the previous regime’s baffling decision to give the ageing Casemiro a four-year (plus extension option) contract when he was bought from Real Madrid for an eye-watering £60m in 2022.

Casemiro’s form has sharply declined since his positive debut season. He does not appear to be part of Amorim’s plans as the 32-year-old has been an unused substitute in United’s last three Premier League games.

Realistically, Man Utd just need to get Casemiro’s high wage off the books and this could come as a free transfer. A Saudi Pro League move has consistently been mooted, but there is also reported interest from Galatasaray, who could give him an opportunity to ply his trade with/against several Premier League has-beens (including Jose Mourinho) in the Turkish Super Lig.

Andre Onana to Inter Milan (£29m)
David De Gea’s replacement overcame a couple of post-transfer disasterclasses in the Champions League to establish himself at Man Utd. He’s been one of their better performers over the past 18 months.

Despite this, Man Utd have still consistently been linked with potential upgrades and his worrying recent performances (which have seen him lose his spot as the best goalkeeper in the Premier League) are starting to justify these calls.

Football365