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Mauricio Pochettino says he asked Chelsea's directors to give him a bigger role in deciding the club's new signings in the next transfer window.

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Chelsea off to rough startSpent big in summer windowPochettino to have bigger roleWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite another summer of lavish spending under new co-owner Todd Boehly, the Blues have endured a difficult start to the season.

Pochettino's side have won just one Premier League game this season and sit 14th in the table with five points – 13 less than leaders Manchester City.

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Their summer transfers were conducted by co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart as Pochettino was appointed head coach in the summer.

The Blues prioritised bringing in younger players before the start of the season, but they may look to bring in more experienced players in the January transfer window, with the Argentine coach set to take on more responsibility when it comes to identifying targets.

WHAT THEY SAID

"The good thing is the relationship and communication is very good with the sporting directors and owners," Pochettino said to reporters. "When the transfer window was closed I said I need to be more involved now in all the decisions. I have started to work to identify what we need for January."

He added: "Football is very dynamic and it is about the present always. Things can change until January. We need to work to recover Nkunku and Armando Broja to try to provide the team with more goals and become solid. But, of course, we have already started to work [on transfers]."

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Chelsea have taken just one point from their last three Premier League matches, but they will hope for a more positive result when they visit Fulham on Monday.

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Everton are attempting to sign Michy Batshuayi from Chelsea and have learned that they will have to pay £35m for the forward, according to The Guardian.

What’s the story?

Everton’s problems in the final third this season have been well documented.

It is true that Richarlison has been a revelation following his summer move from Watford, but the likes of Cenk Tosun and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have struggled.

The Toffees are said to be keen to sign a new striker on deadline day and according to The Guardian, are attempting to bring Batshuayi to the club.

The Belgium international is back with Chelsea having spent the first half of this season on loan in Spain with Valencia.

It would be fair to say that the 25-year-old struggled at the Mestalla, managing just one league goal during a disappointing loan spell.

Batshuayi’s Chelsea record is 19 goals in 53 appearances, which is not exactly terrific, but he did score goals on loan at Borussia Dortmund last term.

Should Everton move for the striker?

Batshuayi is certainly capable of being a success at Everton, but £35m is a lot of money for a player who has not been in good form this season.

A move for the Belgian on transfer deadline day does make sense for Everton, but the Toffees must attempt to negotiate a lower price.

According to The Guardian, West Ham United had wanted to take Batshuayi on loan, but Chelsea are keen on a permanent sale, with Everton seemingly the only serious contenders at this stage of the transfer window.

The Londoners are in a strong negotiating position though, considering that Batshuayi still has more than two years left to run on his contract at Stamford Bridge.

If the asking price stays the same then Everton should dodge a move, but anything around the £27m mark should be seriously considered by the Toffees.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Lauren James admitted that Chelsea are eyeing Champions League glory to give manager Emma Hayes a perfect send-off.

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Hayes to leave for the USWNT job in the summerUCL trophy missing from her impressive trophy cabinetJames & Co. adamant about conquering EuropeGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Hayes will conclude her remarkable 12-year tenure at Chelsea to assume the role of head coach for the United States Women’s national team at the end of the current season. During Hayes' reign, Chelsea has enjoyed unparalleled success, clinching six Women’s Super League titles, five FA Cups, and two League Cups. But she is yet to conquer Europe and the Blues forward remains determined to achieve continental glory with Hayes before she jets off to the USA.

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Speaking to PA news agency, James said: "I think it would be amazing, it’s something that everyone wants and dreams of. It’s something this club have been working towards for a while now. Hopefully, in Emma’s final year, we can get that far.

“I think (the Champions League) is a good experience, the games have been a bit quicker because you’re playing against different opponents from different countries with different styles of play.”

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James, who joined Chelsea in 2021 at the age of 19, has flourished under Hayes' guidance. She recently earned the Barclays Player of the Month award in January after scoring five goals in two games, including a hat-trick against Manchester United. Reflecting on her collaboration with Hayes, James highlighted the mutual respect and understanding they share and added: "It’s good working with Emma, our relationship is close as everyone can probably imagine. I think highly of her and hopefully, we can achieve good things this year together. At that moment I was disappointed and it hit you, but that’s the relationship we have. It’s football and people move on, I’ll just have to focus on Chelsea."

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James' impressive goal-scoring performances have propelled Chelsea to the top of the Women’s Super League standings, where they currently lead by three points ahead of a crucial showdown against Manchester City on Friday. They will return to European action in March when they are slated to face Ajax in the last eight of the UEFA Women's Champions League.

The ex-Barcelona man did what he does best, helping the Herons escape Los Angeles with a shocking draw

It had to be him, didn't it? For 90 minutes, Inter Miami deserved a whole lot of nothing from their visit to the LA Galaxy on Sunday night. That was the first 90, though. As it turned out, Lionel Messi was simply waiting for minute 92.

The Argentine was the hero, of course. His 92nd-minute goal helped Miami steal a point that few would say they deserved. Combining with Jordi Alba, Messi turned back the clocks with a fantastic last-gasp finish to stun a Galaxy team that had so, so many chances to put this game away.

Dejan Jovelic scored LA's lone goal, and it's a wonder that it was the only one. Riqui Puig saw his penalty kick saved by Drake Callender, who created miracles to keep the Galaxy from more. He faced 23 shots during the match, but only one slipped in one as Jovelic was left free to tap-in on the back post in the 75th minute.

From there, though, things slowly started to go Miami's way. Marco Delgado's 87th-minute second yellow card was the start of it all, a questionable call at best, that helped turn the game. From that moment forward, Miami had a chance, and Messi ultimately made the most of it.

Despite the result, the Herons looked clearly frustrated after the final whistle. They were played off the field for much of this one but, somehow, stole a point anyway. That's what Messi can do – and at the end of the day, having the Argentine in your XI remains a cheat code.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Dignity Health Sports Park…

USA Today Sports Goalkeeper & Defense

Drake Callender (9/10):

The clear Man of the Match for Miami. Absolutely fantastic in goal, making several key stops in addition to the one on Puig from the penalty spot.

Jordi Alba (8/10):

Did his thing on the left throughout before finally setting up Messi's equalizer. A connection we've seen a thousand times, and one that saved Miami in a big way on Sunday night.

Tomas Aviles (6/10):

Did his job defensively and moved the ball well. Much more solid than he was in the opener.

Serhiy Kryvtsov (6/10):

Lack of pace was exposed a few times, but he held his own mostly. Could have been a bit more aware on the goal, though.

DeAndre Yedlin (6/10):

Couldn't quite get going and had one bad foul in the second half. Overall, nothing too special.

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Julian Gressel (4/10):

Just hasn't looked himself yet this season. Pressure is only going to turn up on a player who can help this Miami team, even if he hasn't done much of that yet.

Sergio Busquets (4/10):

Didn't look anything like the player we've all watched for so long. Conceded the penalty and looked a bit slow all game, physically and mentally.

Diego Gomez (6/10):

Far and away the best in the midfield three, but that isn't saying much. Actually had a decent game which looked much, much better when compared to those around him.

USA Today Sports Attack

Robert Taylor (5/10):

Never got into the game, taking just 25 touches before being taken out 22 minutes in to the second half.

Luis Suarez (4/10):

It's almost like it wasn't a good idea to play someone with Suarez's knees after a cross-country trip on short rest. Looked totally off the pace before being mercifully subbed out.

Lionel Messi (8/10):

It had to be him, huh? Relatively quiet all game, Messi popped up for the goal late, netting his first of the season to earn Miami a relatively undeserved point.

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Leonardo Campana (5/10):

Came on to replace Suarez, but barely got a touch of the ball. Poorly utilized off the bench.

David Ruiz (5/10):

Could have done better on the Galaxy goal but his energy was much, much needed once Miami tired.

Shnayder Borgelin (N/A):

Thrown on late, but couldn't do much for the Herons.

Lawson Sunderland (N/A):

Looked tidy during his late cameo, but didn't feature enough to warrant anything more.

Tata Martino (5/10):

Should know better than to run out the same XI on short rest. Team is dealing with injuries, of course, but it was always going to be rough relying on old legs for a second game in just a few days.

Thiago Almada has explained how fellow World Cup winner Lionel Messi “improved” MLS following his stunning move to Inter Miami.

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Argentine icon chasing the American dreamMade an immediate impact in the United StatesFellow countryman looking for move to Europe

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentina international, who now has eight Ballon d’Or triumphs to his name, bid farewell to European football when heading to the United States as a free agent in the summer of 2023. Messi made an immediate impact in America, as he inspired Inter Miami to a historic Leagues Cup crown, and has helped to raise both the profile and standard of MLS – with more household names expected to follow in his illustrious footsteps.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT ALMADA SAID ABOUT MESSI

Atlanta United star Almada, who won the 2022 World Cup alongside Messi, has told of how his iconic countryman is raising the game in MLS: “It changed a lot with Messi. The football improved a lot. You can see that a lot more. It’s back and forth, there are a lot of goals. Sometimes it happened to us that we started winning and didn’t build on that, and we ended up losing. When Leo came, he knew more about MLS than I did. I spoke when we faced each other. He arrived and they started winning all the games.”

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Almada was named MLS Young Player of the Year for 2023 – registering 11 goals and 19 assists during the regular season – and now has his sights set on securing a transfer elsewhere. He added on his own future, as he prepares to tread a path that Messi once did at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain: “I want to go to Europe now. I would like to play in the Spanish La Liga. There was interest from Ajax before, which could not happen. Let's see now.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ALMADA?

Almada is a product of the academy system at Velez Sarsfield, but left his homeland in February 2022 when making his way to Atlanta. The talented 22-year-old now has four senior international caps to his name and will be hoping to earn a place in Argentina’s squad for the 2024 Copa America – which will be staged in the United States.

Kylian Mbappe looked totally unfazed as he talked on his phone after being taken off at half-time in Paris Saint-Germain's game against Monaco.

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Mbappe taken off at half-time against MonacoTook selfies and signed autographs for fansJoined his mother in the stands for second halfGetty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

PSG coach Luis Enrique opted to take the forward off after a disappointing 45 minutes into the Ligue 1 clash at Monaco. There were fears that the attacker had picked up an injury, but his casual stroll through the tunnel and along the side of the pitch suggested that he was substituted for a different reason.

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Mbappe opted against joining his fellow PSG stars on the bench. Instead, he greeted supporters and took a picture them before walking up the stairs and joining his mother in the stand, where he sat smiling and talking.

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After being substituted for the second time in a row, tension may be rising between Mbappe, his team-mates and coach Luis Enrique. The France star has already informed the club that he will leave at the end of the season in a free transfer and looks set to join Real Madrid in the summer. Before then, though, the 25-year-old will hope to be back in the team when they take on Real Sociedad in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Sergino Dest boasts “extraordinary qualities”, according to PSV boss Peter Bosz, with the USMNT star delivering a no-look assist in his latest outing.

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Defender loaned out again in 2023-24Impressing back in the NetherlandsSale expected to be sanctioned at some stageWHAT HAPPENED?

That impressive piece of skill allowed the 23-year-old full-back to tee up United States international team-mate Malik Tillman. Dest has endured a tough time of late, with La Liga giants Barcelona sending him out on loan again for the 2023-24 campaign.

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Dest disappointed at Serie A giants AC Milan last season, but has rediscovered a spark since returning to the Netherlands – the land of his birth and a country he has previously thrived in with Ajax. The versatile defender has been catching the eye for PSV, with his head coach very much part of a growing fan club.

WHAT THEY SAID

Bosz told reporters after seeing Dest produce a Man of the Match display in a crushing 4-0 win over PEC Zwolle: “He is a versatile player who can occupy both the right and the left-back spot. We help him improve as a defender. He has extraordinary qualities when he has the ball. Just look at the no-look assist he had for our fourth goal, scored by Malik Tillman.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Dest lined up on the left for PSV against Zwolle, but has forged his reputation in a right-back berth. Barca acquired him to fill that role in 2020, but have restricted him to 72 appearances and appear eager to put a permanent transfer in place during one of the windows in 2024.

Lionel Messi raged at Brazil forward Rodrygo while backing up Argentina team-mate Rodrigo De Paul after a delayed start to the game at the Maracana.

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Rodrygo and De Paul in heated discussionMessi comes to aid of Argentina team-mateAlbiceleste go on to celebrate 1-0 win over rivalsWHAT HAPPENED?

Tuesday's World Cup qualifier was pushed back half-an-hour following clashes with Albiceleste supporters at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium – and the hostilities didn't end there. Immediately after the players returned to the pitch, De Paul and Rodrygo could be seen in deep – and antagonistic – conversation, before Messi rushed over to support his Argentina colleague.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPGetty ImagesWHAT THEY SAID

According to reports from , Rodrygo accused Messi, De Paul and Argentina of being "cowards", after the Albiceleste captain threatened a walk-off due to continued brutality from Brazilian police. In response, Messi is said to have retorted: "We are the world champions, why are we cowards? Watch your mouth."

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The match was eventually played despite the initial lengthy delay, and a Nicolas Otamendi goal was enough to consign Brazil to their third straight defeat and their first ever at home in World Cup qualifying. The rivalry was far from over after the full time whistle, as Messi took to Instagram to call out the "crazy" violence suffered by Argentina fans at the hands of Brazilian authorities.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag came to Anthony Martial's defence after his poor performance against Newcastle United at the weekend.

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Ten Hag defends Martial amid criticismSlammed for his performance against NewcastleWill likely face Chelsea on WednesdayWHAT HAPPENED?

The French forward had a forgettable outing in United's 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United as he failed to make a mark on the game and was subbed in the 62nd minute. Even manager Ten Hag was left fuming by his poor performance as he was seen shouting at Martial. But now, the Dutch manager has come out in defence of his player amid severe criticism from all quarters, while insisting that the entire team is trying their best to improve themselves after a dire start to the 2023-24 campaign.

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Speaking to reporters ahead of a midweek clash with Chelsea, the Red Devils boss said: "Anthony Martial played brilliantly against Everton. I don’t think it’s fair to point to one player. If you have one moment, you can’t make that as a pattern. The week before we played brilliant, lot of energy in the team, spirt, you see all the games before – I mentioned Fulham, Burnley, Brentford, Luton, so many games for evidence. If it was a pattern, these were different. But this is not a pattern, absolutely not. Everyone is giving their best, there is unity as a team."

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The 28-year-old has experienced an underwhelming campaign so far, managing to score just twice in 18 appearances for the club. With both Marcus Rashford and Martial out of form, Ten Hag's side have been wildly inconsistent. They are on the brink of Champions League elimination and find themselves seventh in the league, 12 points behind league leaders Arsenal.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

The Red Devils have a very busy schedule in December. After the game against Chelsea, Ten Hag's side will prepare for a home clash with Bournemouth before a must-win Champions League group stage clash with Bayern Munich. Huge domestic games against Liverpool and West Ham will follow before Christmas Day that could go a long way to deciding whether United make the Premier League's top-four.

David de Gea is keeping the Manchester United return rumour mill ticking over, with the Spaniard meeting up with Sergio Reguilon for a game of Padel.

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Spaniard released by Red Devils in the summerRemains a free agent amid questions of OnanaTalk of a short-term contract being offeredWHAT HAPPENED?

The 33-year-old goalkeeper was released by the Red Devils at the end of last season following 12 years at Old Trafford that delivered 545 appearances, four Player of the Year awards, a record haul of clean sheets and five major honours.

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United moved to replace De Gea by bringing in Andre Onana for £48 million ($59m) from Inter, but the Cameroon international has endured an error-strewn start to life in England. That has led to speculation that De Gea could be drafted back in on a short-term basis.

DID YOU KNOW?

De Gea has done little to quash that gossip as he pays regular visits to Manchester. He has already met up with United captain Bruno Fernandes since hitting free agency, while a second reunion with fellow countryman Reguilon has now taken place – with the duo pairing up for a Padel session.

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WHAT NEXT?

There has been no official word out of Old Trafford that United are considering putting terms to De Gea, but he remains without a club and the gossip will continue for as long as the Red Devils struggle for consistency in Premier League and Champions League competition.