Chelsea Round-Up, Wednesday 11th November: Zubimendi Links Intensify as Acheampong Injury Concerns Deepen
Chelsea's defeat at Sunderland over the weekend has been followed by a quiet news day dominated by transfer talk, injury updates and one very dramatic car crash.
The big transfer story centres on Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi, with reports suggesting Xabi Alonso is eyeing a January move for the midfielder, who is said to have fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates (Football.London) (Mirror). Football.London claims Chelsea and Real Madrid could end up in a bidding war for his signature, while the Mirror adds that Atletico Madrid are also believed to be in the running (Football.London) (Mirror). The Sun reports that Zubimendi himself has dismissed suggestions he is close to leaving Arsenal in January, despite the continued Chelsea and Atletico Madrid links (The Sun).
There's also a reported twist on the other side of the ledger, with Football365 suggesting Malo Gusto has reached a verdict on his Chelsea future and could be open to a January move to Liverpool, with the report citing two reasons behind the growing speculation (Football365).
On the injury front, Josh Acheampong's situation looks increasingly concerning. The young defender missed Sunday's 1-0 loss at Sunderland, where Enzo Le Fee's penalty proved decisive, and the Evening Standard reports Chelsea have since been given a fresh update hinting at the possible severity of the issue (Evening Standard) (Sports Mole). Acheampong has subsequently withdrawn from the England Under-21s squad because of the injury, just days after sitting out the Sunderland trip (The Sun). The Evening Standard also has the latest return-date information on Acheampong alongside Martinez and Joao Pedro (Evening Standard). There's a little good news elsewhere, though, with Romeo Lavia's recall to the Belgium squad after more than three years away reportedly offering Chelsea an unexpected boost, as he's set to serve a suspension rather than risk further involvement on international duty (Evening Standard).
Away from injuries, Robert Sanchez had a frightening ordeal off the pitch, walking away unhurt after losing control of his £300,000 Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo during a motor circuit event and ploughing into a barrier (The Sun) (Mirror) (Football.London). Elsewhere, Cole Palmer has reportedly failed in his attempt to trademark his own name for a range of beauty products after an application to the UK's Intellectual Property Office (The Sun).
On the managerial merry-go-round, Mauricio Pochettino continues to be strongly linked with the Manchester United job, with Football.London suggesting the former Tottenham and Chelsea boss could look to raid his old clubs for up to five players if he takes charge (Football.London). Sky Sports has also been examining the wider questions around how United have handled the pursuit (Sky Sports), while Football.London reports Pochettino has already made his feelings about the move clear (Football.London).
Finally, Chelsea fans can currently cast their vote for October's Player of the Month via the club's official app, with the piece noting three wins from four Premier League fixtures during that month (ChelseaFC.com).
This round-up is written with the help of AI, using only the day's headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.
