Mauricio Pochettino will be the next manager of the United States men’s soccer team, replacing Gregg Berhalter. At a pivotal point for an improving American program, Pochettino is exactly the sort of massive acquisition many fans were hoping for.

The United States’ search for a new manager took most of the summer and included several speed bumps, chief among them when former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp declined the position in July. Pocchetino is a seasoned program leader, however, with extensive experience at the highest levels of European football.

After a 17-year playing career, Pocchetino accepted his first managing position with Espanyol in 2009. Though his teams struggled there, as well as in a shorter stint with Southampton, the Argentinian finally broke through with Tottenham Hotspur in 2014. The Premier League side earned Football League Cup runner-up honors in his first year, and in the 2018-19 season, the team made it all the way to the Champions League final.

In 2021, Pocchetino stepped in as manager with Paris Saint Germain, and in a short time with the club, he added a Ligue 1 title and Coupe de France trophy to his resume. In 84 matches under Pocchetino, the team compiled a 55-15-14 record, the most successful tenure of his career.

After taking a year away, Pocchetino jumped back into the Premier League when he signed on as Chelsea’s manager in July 2023. Though he managed to guide the club to a winning record and runner-up finish in the EFL Cup, much of his time at Chelsea was marred by disputes with team leadership. He parted ways with the team last May after 51 matches.

With a new, aggressive leader at the helm, it seems like the United States are moving in a position direction ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Not only does the team have an exciting core, led by star Christian Pulisic, but the U.S. will also be co-host in 2026 and do not need to qualify. This gives the team even more time to prepare for tournament play.

Fresh off a Premier League title and landing one of the best young players in recent memory in Erling Haaland, Manchester City may be in line to get another huge transfer. It is reported that Raheem Sterling may be hoping to make a move to Premier League rivals, Chelsea.

The winger has long been one of Man City’s most productive players over the last few seasons. Sterling has accumulated 23 goals and 12 assists in 61 Premier League matches over the last two seasons but has struggled to find consistent playing time for Pep Guardiola‘s side in the second half go the season. The 27-year-old has about 12 months left on his contract, but it is reported that he is weighing all his options before committing to something long-term.

Sterling’s playing time has seen a sharp decline since March with the continued success of forwards Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden – plus the addition of Haaland and Argentine forward Julian Alvarez. Last season’s acquisition of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa means that steady playing time up for the English winger seems unlikely, Guardiola has expressed that he wants Sterling to stay but Sterling’s future is still up in the air.

Guardiola is not shy about letting go of unhappy players. Shortly after Jesus expressed unhappiness in his playing time, Guardiola granted his transfer request, and he is slated to join Arsenal during the current transfer window. Reportedly, Chelsea was to offer £35 million for a potential move, but Man City wants upwards of about £60 million for their star attacker.

Chelsea has recently been acquired by Todd Boehly after previous owner Roman Abramovich put the club up for sale following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Boehly has said that he wants Chelsea’s players to build their brands. “We think the global footprint of this sport is really undeveloped,” Boehly said. “There are four billion fans of European football. There are 170 million fans of NFL. Global club football is a fraction of the NFL media money. We are also going to be thinking about, how do we get more revenues for the players?” Boehly said.

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who owns the Premier League football club Chelsea, has accepted a Ukrainian request to help negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

“I can confirm Roman Abramovich was contacted by the Ukrainian side for support in achieving a peaceful resolution, and that he has been trying to help ever since,” an Abramovich spokesperson said. “Considering what is at stake, we would ask for understanding as to why we have not commented on either the situation as such or his involvement.”

There was no immediate comment from the Ukrainian government.

Jewish and of Israeli citizenship, Abramovich was one of the most powerful businessmen who earned fortunes after the 1991 dissolving of the Soviet Union; his net worth is ranked at $13.3 billion. A commodities trader who thrived in the chaos of the 1990s under then-President Boris Yeltsin, Abramovich acquired stakes in the Sibneft oil company, Rusal aluminum producer and Aeroflot that were later sold.

Under Russian President Vladimir Putin, Abramovich, 55, served as governor of the Arctic region of Chukotka in the country’s Far East.

It’s unclear what role he will have in talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials, which began on Monday at the Belarusian border. The Ukrainian president’s office said his country’s goal was an immediate cease-fire and the withdrawal of troops. The Kremlin has not said what its objectives are in the talks.

Recently, two other Russian billionaires, Mikhail Fridman and Oleg Deripaska, have called for an end to the war.

Putin used an early-morning address to the nation on February 24 to order “a special military operation” against Ukraine just a few days after recognizing two Russian-backed rebel regions of Ukraine.

Putin said he was ordering the military operation to protect people, including Russian citizens, from “genocide”—an accusation the opposition insists is baseless propaganda.

For the first time since 2012, Chelsea will hoist the trophy as winners of the Champions League.

The team defeated Manchester City by a score of 1-0 on Saturday, marking their third victory over Man City this year. The team was led by a new coach, Thomas Tuchel, who took over the position of manager in January, beginning his tenure with a 14-game winning streak. Tuchel had previously been the manager of Paris Saint-Germain, where he finished runner-up in the 2019-2020 Champions League.

The decisive goal in the match was scored by Kai Havertz in the 42nd minute, his first ever goal in the Champions League. Chelsea signed Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for £88 million. On the flip side, the most dominant offense in the premier league, Man City, was befuddled by Chelsea’s defensive strategies, getting only one shot on goal the entire match. City manager Pep Guardiola chose a more attack-heavy starting 11, benching some of his defensive midfielders at the beginning of the match.

Also of note in the match was the presence of Christian Pulisic on Chelsea, who entered the game in the second half as a sub. Pulisic became only the the second male U.S. international, after Borussia Dortmund forward Jovan Kirovski in 1997, to be on a team that won the Champions League. This marks Chelsea’s second ever Champions League trophy, which required defeated both perennial contender Real Madrid in the semifinals as well as defending Premier League champions Manchester City in the title match.

The Super League is officially dead.

On April 18, the European Super League was announced with 12 founding football teams. The 12 teams were top teams from across three different football leagues in Europe. As of Wednesday, the project is no longer happening. The Super League consisted of founding members Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Atlético, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The European Super League announcement was met with intense fan backlash and legislative pressure. The UEFA held a press conference condemning the European Super League and threatened to ban players from the participating teams from playing in this year’s European Championship and next year’s World Cup.

Two days after its initial creation, six founding clubs withdrew from the proposed league. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham withdrew from the project due to pressure. It was a death blow to the proposed project.

Following the departures of the English clubs, the European Super League announced that it was suspending the project. “Given the current circumstances, we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always giving in mind our goals of offering the fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community,” the statement read.

On Wednesday, four more clubs withdrew from the project. Atlético, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus.

Atlético released a statement announcing its official departure from the project. “Atlético de Madrid’s Board of Directors, which met on Wednesday morning, has decided to formally communicate to the Super League and the rest of the founding clubs its decision not to finally formalize its adhesion to the project,” the statement read.

Inter Milan released an official statement confirming their departure. “FC Internazionale Milano confirms that the Club is no longer part of the Super League project,” the statement said.

AC Milan then released a statement announcing its withdrawal from the project. The Italian club said, “The voice and concerns of supporters throughout the world about the Super League project have been strong and clear, and our Club must remain sensitive and attentive to the opinion of those who love this sport”.

Juventus was the next club that left. “While Juventus remains convinced of the soundness of the project’s sport, commercial and legal premises, it believes that at present there are limited chances that the project be completed in the form originally conceived,” the club said. “Juventus remains committed to pursuing the creation of long-term value for the Company and the entire football industry.”

As of now, only FC Barcelona and Real Madrid have not officially left the league.

Tottenham’s disappointing week continued following a 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge to London rivals Chelsea on Saturday. The loss comes just three days after a 1-0 UEFA Champions League home loss to German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

Spurs came into the week shorthanded after attacking winger Son Heung-Min had surgery to repair a broken arm he sustained a week ago during a match against Aston Villa and his absence definitely contributed to the team’s lack of possession and chances on the counter attack. In the first half, the club sat back on defense as Chelsea were the aggressors playing a fast pace while controlling 80% of the possession through the first 20 minutes of action.

Chelsea broke through first with a lead pass that lead to a Olivier Giroud goal in the 16th minute. Off the pass, Giroud had his first shot blocked and a second attempt by Ross Barkley hit the post and rolled back towards Giroud who connected with a powerful left-footed shot that just snuck under Tottenham keeper, Hugo Lloris, before hitting the back of the net.

In the post match interview, a jubilant Giroud told Football London, “It was a very important game for us today. I want to talk about the team spirit and we have shown great character today. We knew that it was maybe a kind of turning point because we had maybe lost a little bit of confidence. At home, it was nice to bounce back and get this win, a hard win, against a rival. So, yes, I feel relieved today. The [3-4-3] worked perfectly for us. We have shown through the season that we can adapt to different systems. Every game is different but I think half of the tactics today were about us knowing what this game means for everyone at this football club, for the fans.”

Spurs faced a 1-0 deficit at halftime having been completely outplayed and were unable to create enough chances. Coach Jose Mourinho alluded to Kane and Son’s absence in the post match press conference and told Football London, “The only thing I can say is with what we have at the moment, the power we have or don’t have, the almost unique situation we’re living in at the moment, it’s very difficult to do better, especially when the opponent scores before us.”

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Chelsea was able to score a second in the 48th minute off a throw-in that caught Spurs’ napping, which resulted in a powerful shot from left back Marcos Alonso that blew by Lloris.

Tottenham had a few chances in the second half including a late goal that came from Erik Lamela’s attempted cross that was deflected in by by Antonio Rudiger, but it came in the 89th minute, too little, too late.

The game, however, wasn’t without controversy. In the second half, there was a pivotal moment while Spurs were trying to keep the ball by the sideline near the managers’ box. As Giovani Lo Celso gathered the ball, Chelsea center back Cesar Azpilicueta came in with a aggressive sliding challenge that Lo Celso responded to with an allegedly inadvertent step on his shin. The referee was offered assistance from VAR to review the call, and although he could have reviewed it himself at the video booth on the sideline, he left it in the hands of people sitting in a replay room. What could have easily been a red card turned out to be just a common foul leaving Chelsea coach Frank Lampard irate.

“Everybody knew they made a mistake,” Lampard told The Guardian. “We have the monitor and can view it. I was just waiting for the red card to be shown – not with real pleasure – because it’s just a tackle that endangers the player. That’s what VAR was brought in for, to see things that the referee and the pitch-side [official] don’t see. It’s just not good enough. Saying afterwards that they made a mistake is not good enough because they had a couple of minutes to try to get it right. They probably needed one viewing of that one to get it right. It’s another huge question mark on VAR. This one doesn’t need [the referee to look at] a pitch-side monitor. It’s a clear decision, a human decision. So Stockley Park, red card.”

The bottom line is Tottenham were completely outplayed and there wasn’t enough creativity involved to set up scoring opportunities. Lamela had a very positive impact in the game against Leipzig and should have started the game on Saturday because he brought energy and passion that most of his teammates lacked. There were also not enough connecting passes that could break down the defense as midfielder Dele Alli was surprisingly left on the bench before being substituted late in the game.

“We had strange game plans but we needed to have them,” Mourinho told NBC Sports. “Like Lamela who played well, people think I’m stupid that I don’t play him, but he’s constantly communicating with me in the warm-up, can I play or not. He was telling me his feelings.”

Mourinho noted that several players including Lo Celso, Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura were playing out of position and trying to do everything they could but there’s no reason Alli, who is one of the club’s top players, should’ve been left on the bench for the majority of a critical match that could’ve potentially moved Spurs ahead of Chelsea in the Premier League Standings. They now trail Chelsea by four points for the last Champions League spot. Mourinho has to get more inspiration from his players and use formations that cater to the team’s strengths or this season will be a lost cause.

The Premier League saw some great action as Man City defeated Sheffield United 1-0, Bournemouth defeated Brighton 3-1, and both Newcastle and Everton, as well as Chelsea and Arsenal, tied 2-2.

Chelsea vs. Arsenal – Tied 2-2

Coming into the match, a lot of focus was on the two managers. Chelsea’s Frank Lampard has started to get heat for a difficult team run, while Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta has been accused of doing little to improve Arsenal’s fortunes since taking over.

With the match tied at one a piece, Chelsea took the lead on a great goal by Cesar Azpilicueta, but an Arsenal score by Hector Bellerin brought the game back to even.

The draw moves Arsenal into 10th, while Chelsea goes six points clear of Manchester United who sits fifth.

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Bournemouth vs. Brighton – Bournemouth 3-1

Bournemouth went back to their winning ways after losing five of their last six matches.

Goals by Harry Wilson, Pascal Gross and Callum Wilson put Bournemouth back on the map and in good spirits. A late push by Brighton wasn’t enough to give them a chance in this match, as Bournemouth seemed dominant and determined to get out of their losing streak.

Bournemouth still sits in the bottom three as they look to keep this winning spirit alive.

Newcastle vs. Everton – Tied 2-2

Newcastle showed serious determination with a comeback to stop what looked like an easy 2-0 win for Everton.

After falling 2-0, Florian Lejeune came out as Newcastle’s savior scoring the two pivotal goals to secure the tie. Both came in stoppage time, the first coming as acrobatic attempt after an Everton error and the second a volley that found it’s way over the line, securing a huge comeback for Newcastle.

This year the UEFA Champion League draw brings an interesting group of teams to the round of 16. This is the first time in the Champions League era where the round only consists of teams from the five major leagues. The teams who have qualified all come from either England, Spain, France, Italy or Germany. Usually you’ll have a team from Portugal or even the Netherlands, but not this year. This year the matchups are huge forcing some big teams to be knocked out early on. 

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Real Madrid were not able to top off their group so as a gift, now they have to play Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Barcelona will face Napoli, a team who many no longer underestimate. Bayern Munich will get a rematch of the 2012 final that saw Chelsea winning in penalties at Bayern’s Allianz stadium. 

Winning their 6th Champions League last year, Liverpool now have to show Europe what they are capable of under the lights against a very tough squad, Atletico Madrid. Liverpool can be expected to win this round but not by a landslide, Athletico are a team who have been lacking but who have the heart to fight through hard times. Atletico will not be afraid to play at Anfield unlike some other teams and they have a young Joao Felix who is yet to make his mark on the big stage. Everyone is betting on Liverpool, but Atletico cannot be easily overlooked.

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Thomas Tuchel will guide Paris Saint Germain into dangerous territory against his former club Dortmund where the home fans are as massive as the club itself. Last season PSG took a loss to Manchester United that shocked everyone even Manchester themselves. This year Thomas Tuchel cannot afford to lose at this stage. The round of 16 is not where a team of PSG’s caliber should be settling. This club has invested roughly one billion dollars on Kylian Mbappe and Neymar alone, most clubs don’t even spend that much on their full squad. For this reason, PSG has to pass to the quarterfinals, or else Tuchel can say goodbye to his job in Paris. With the team they have it is unwise to think Dortmund can upset them, especially knowing how young of a team the German club is. 

Jose Mourinho is getting his redemption as manager of the Tottenham Hotspurs who seek to challenge RB Leipzig. The German club have been having a magical year as leaders in the Bundesliga. Everyone seems to have their minds set on Hotspurs beating RB Leipzig however, it is not that simple. The Spurs have been very poor in the league and now they are in transition to a new manager. RB Leipzig are in first place of the Bundesliga with Timo Werner leading the pack. It is going to take Mourinho’s Champions League experience to crack the code for beating a soaring Leipzig.

With so many heavyweight clashes it is almost impossible not to be excited. The one downside to these games is that they start in February. Enjoy your domestic leagues in the meantime because sooner than you think European Champions league action is back. 

Maurizio Sarri won the Europa League and finished third in the domestic league with English side Chelsea FC this year, but is still set to move on from Britain to go back to his home of Italy to coach Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo. According to Sky Sports, the Italian is set to position himself with a three-year deal to be the new boss of the Serie A champions.

There is a multitude of reasons Sarri is leaving the English side, among them the fact that the club is facing a two-window transfer ban after breaking rules of signing U18 foreign players. The club has appealed the allegation and is currently at a deadlock with the Court of Arbitration. Fans voiced their disconcert of Sarri’s tactics and his team selections, refusing to play younger players with bags of potential. Chelsea also lost undoubtedly their best player in Eden Hazard as he just signed for Real Madrid earlier this week. Back in February as well, players challenged his authority after goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to be subbed in a cup final after Sarri wanted a change in net. Chelsea would go on to lose that game in a penalty shootout against Manchester City.

With Sarri set to leave, who could Chelsea turn to? After it’s evident the side won’t be able to sign any players this summer and the January transfer window in 2020, Chelsea will surely have to rely heavily on their youth products. Former Chelsea midfielder, former assistant coach of the U18’s youth team and current Derby County manager Frank Lampard appears to be the perfect candidate. He led his Derby County to the Football League Championship playoff last season, where they lost to Aston Villa in the final, thus failing to be promoted to the Premier League.

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According to Sky Sports News, pundit Jamie Redknapp said, “Frank would be the perfect person. Sarri is still the manager right now so until that changes, if it were to change and if they need a manager next year, they need someone who’s going to come in and stabilize the club.”

Chelsea signed U.S. star Christian Pulisic back in January before the allegations, and could be Hazard’s long-term replacement at left-wing. With Pulisic likely being the only new player coming to the club in July, the next manager has a full plate of issues around the squad ahead of their next campaign in the domestic league and in the Champions League.

The Dutch giants AFC Ajax had some season this year. The club won their domestic league, cup and made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League before being knocked out by Tottenham Hotspurs. The major clubs in Europe are looking to snag the talent away that the impressive Ajax team possess. A number of promising players from Ajax have been linked to other clubs, including their manager, Erik ten Hag.

Back in January, the Ajax midfielder Frankie De Jong agreed a deal with Spanish league winners, FC Barcelona to join over the summer. There is serious hype and potential around the 19-year-old, as The Independent’s Miguel Delaney compared the youngster to former Barca superstar, Xavi, according to Bleacher Report. De Jong has been trying to recruit his former Ajax teammate and Dutch counterpart, Matthijs De Ligt to join Barca with him.

“Of course I would like him to come to Barcelona, but we will see what happens. It’s up to him. I don’t know, it’s his decision,” De Jong said, according to Sacha Pisani of Goal. “You have to ask him about it, but I hope he comes to Barca.”

De Ligt has given no hints about where he will be signing for next season, as the 19-year-old CB has been linked to just about every big club in Europe, including PSG, Liverpool, Manchester United and Juventus.

“I will take my time to reflect on what is the best option for my future,” De Ligt said, according to ESPN, after the Netherlands beat England in Thursday’s game.

Ajax attacking midfielder Donny van De Beek has been linked to clubs as well. the 22-year-old had 13 total assists and 17 goals in all competitions, and played a big role to Ajax’s incredible season.

“I don’t see Donny leaving Ajax for just any club abroad. He is not the type who chooses based on money. Donny knows what he has in Amsterdam and he wouldn’t swap that for something less in a sporting sense,” van De Beek’s agent Sjaak Swart said, according to Goal. “If he ever leaves Ajax, in my eyes it must be to go to an absolute top club.”

A majority of Ajax’s squad as been linked to moves to major clubs, such as Hakim Ziyech, David Neres and their manager ten Hag. According to Express, the Ajax manager is likely the new man to take english powerhouse Chelsea FC as his new project, as current Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has dropped multiple hints of him going back home to Italy to coach Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Ajax board and front office will try to hold on to as much as they can this offseason, but the turn of profit for the Dutch side will be one of the bests in club history if they were to offload such an immense amount of talent.

Chelsea FC will pay 64 million euros, or nearly $73 million, for German club Borussia Dortmund’s 20-year-old winger Christian Pulisic.

The deal, which pays a transfer fee to his old club, makes him the most expensive American soccer player of all time and will bring him to England’s Premier League.

Dortmund’s Pulisic, 20, Makes History

Pulisic, who’s been with Borussia Dortmund since he was 16, will play out the rest of the season before transferring over. Previously, his contract was set to expire at the end of the 2019-2020 season. Pulisic also plays for the US Men’s National Team and is a native of Hershey, Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday, Pulisic took to Twitter to thank his fans in Germany. “It feels like only yesterday that I arrived in Dortmund as a raw, excited very nervous but exceptionally proud 16-year-old,” he wrote. “I would not be where I am today without the Club and their belief in giving young players a chance.”

Pulisic was originally only able to join the team at 16 years old due to the fact that his grandfather was from Croatia. This enabled him to get a Croatian passport and play in Europe before turning 18.

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Dortmund’s sporting director called Chelsea’s bid an “extremely lucrative bid.” “It was always Christian’s big dream to play in the Premier League. That certainly has to do with Christian’s American background, and as a result we were unable to extend his contract,” Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said in a statement. “Christian Pulisic is a perfect player in terms of his character.”

The move is not without criticism. Some are attacking the American soccer system, pointing to how Pulisic’s $73 million transfer far outweighs the next largest one of $22.4 million for John Brooks in 2017. Though there’s been a recent emergence of American talent, the national team failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the hiring of Gregg Berhalter has been described as “turgid, poorly organized, and only ever focused on one candidate.” Pulisic’s youth clubs will also not receive any of the transfer funds. Traditionally, European clubs who’ve developed players receive up to 5% when that player is sold overseas. However, the US does not participate in FIFA’s solidarity payment system. The transfer indicates that US talent can play at the highest levels. It does not continue to build on that success the way European countries often do.

Ray Wilkins, a former midfielder for England’s national team, Chelsea and Manchester United, died at age 61 on Wednesday after collapsing with cardiac arrest last week.

Ray Wilkins Death News

Wilkins had been treated in a south London hospital since Friday. The midfielder captained England on 10 occasions while winning 84 caps. Wilkins also played for top European clubs like AC Milan, Paris St-Germain and Queens Park Rangers during his 24-year career.

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Wilkins made his debut with Chelsea as a 17-year-old in October 1973 and was named captain at age 18. He then made his England debut in the Bicentennial Tournament against Italy in New York City in May 1976.

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The midfielder — who earned the nickname “Butch” during the early part of his career — played for Chelsea until 1979, when he signed with Manchester United for a fee of about £800,000 ($1.1 million at today’s rate).

Wilkins also drew attention for his conservative playing style and was even nicknamed “The Crab” by some after he became known for making sideways passes. However, many remembered him fondly and regarded him as a gentleman.

“I don’t know anybody that had a bad word to say about Ray – on or off the pitch,” said Wilkins’ former England teammate Terry Butcher. “He was just an absolute gentleman but also a fierce winner. It was an absolute pleasure and a real privilege to play with him. He was such a charismatic character, great in the dressing room, great on the pitch but he wanted football played the right way.”

After retiring with London-based club Leyton Orient in 1997, Wilkins began coaching several prominent teams. He managed Fulham for a year before serving as an assistant at Chelsea, Watford, and England’s U21 team, among others.

He briefly worked as an assistant with Aston Villa in 2015.

Former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, whom Wilkins worked under, praised his assistant in his book The Beautiful Games Of An Ordinary Genius. 

“Ray is one of those select few, always present, noble in spirit, a real blue blood,” Ancelotti wrote. “Chelsea flows in his veins… without him we wouldn’t have won a thing.”

Wilkins had been suffering from several health issues in recent years. He reportedly had ulcerative colitis, and had double bypass heart surgery in July 2017. He also underwent a five-week rehabilitation program in 2016 after being banned from driving for four years due to drunk-driving. Wilkins confessed to struggling with alcoholism.

Wilkins is survived by his wife Jackie, their two children and six grandchildren.

Here are more tributes to Wilkins:

“When Ray played with us you could immediately see that his technical ability to play the ball was phenomenal,” said England manager Gareth Southgate, who played with Wilkins at Crystal Palace. “In the modern game, those attributes would have been appreciated far more than they were at that time, so he really was a top, top player.”

“He would have been one of the earliest to go abroad and play in the Italian league. At the time, it was at a really high level so being able to transition into a club like AC Milan and be as popular as he was there speaks volumes for his ability. Ray was also an absolute gent – a class act.”

Former Man U manager Sir Alex Ferguson called Wilkins a “fantastic talent” and added: Ray always had a kind word and time for people.”

Frank Lampard, the former Chelsea midfielder who was coached by Wilkins, stated: “Ray was a great player and an even greater man. Full of kindness and humility, with impeccable manners at all times. He had respect and time for everyone and to me he was a mentor and a friend. I’m not sure they make them like Ray any more.”

English Premier League teams have broken the record for spending on summer transfer fees for the sixth straight year, dishing out  £1.4 billion ($1.8 billion) on players during the transfer window.

Premiere League Summer Transfer Deadline News

The figure — which includes an unprecedented  £210 million ($272 million) on deadline day — represents a 23 percent increase relative to last year.

Net spend — in which the amount raised through sales is subtracted from purchases — also continued to rise to a total of £665 million ($861 million), having been £635.6m in 2016, £432.6m in 2015 and £386.5m in 2014.

Among the biggest deals completed Thursday were Chelsea’s £35 million ($45 million) signing of Leicester City midfielder Danny Drinkwater and French center-back Mamadou Sakho’s £26 million ($34 million) transfer to Crystal Palace from Liverpool.

Other transfers that occurred after the 11pm BST deadline on Thursday were Chelsea’s signing of Torino’s Italian defender Davide Zappacosta, Spurs’ recruitment of Swansea striker Fernando Llorente for £15 million ($19 million) and the Welsh club’s replacement of him with Manchester City’s Ivorian forward Wilfried Bony — who spent last season on loan to Stoke City — for £12 million ($15.5 million).

The increase in spending also comes after the introduction of the new TV deal, which will see the Premier League benefit from a 70 percent increase in the value of its British television rights for the 2016-2019 seasons with Sky and BT paying a combined 5.136 billion pounds ($7.8 billion) to air games. Broadcasters are set to pay more than 10 million pounds ($15.2 million) to screen each game.

Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho remains with Liverpool despite bids from several different high-profile clubs including Barcelona, which offered £114 million ($148 million) for him earlier this month.

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND – APRIL 10: Danny Drinkwater of Leicester City during the Barclays Premier League match between Sunderland and Leicester City at the Stadium of Light on April 10, 2016 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Chelsea and John Terry will receive no further disciplinary action from the Football Association (FA) over the former team captain’s substitution in his final game at Stamford Bridge at the end of last season.

Chelsea John Terry FA Disciplinary Action

The 36-year-old defender — who also served as England captain and now plays for Aston Villa — asked to leave Stamford Bridge in the 26th minute of Chelsea’s 5-1 Premier League victory over Sunderland on May 21. Terry arranged to be substituted in that specific minute because his jersey number is 26, and Chelsea manager Antonio Conte granted his request.

“I kind of negotiated with the manager to play 26 minutes and come off,” Terry told Sky Sports following that game. “I think he wanted to get the boys that didn’t play on Monday night against Watford and give them a run-out. It was a compromise between the two of us.”

Conte seemed delighted with the idea of Terry leaving in that minute to make his farewell after 19 years with the club extra special.

“To see our players prepare a guard of honor for him was great, a fantastic idea,” said the Italian boss of the defending Premier League winners. “He deserved this. He’s a legend of this club, not just this club but one of the best defenders in the world.”

Thousands of pounds were won in wagers predicting the exact minute of Terry’s substitution in that game, something that led the FA’s Integrity Department to investigate.

Shortly before the game, the editor of a Chelsea fa magazine had tweeted that Terry would be taken out after 26 minutes.

One bookmaker stated it had paid out on three bets, with one customer alleging he had been paid at 100-1 on a £25 ($33) stake.

The FA then requested the companies involved in the betting for information on wagers they received on Terry’s substitution.

However, the FA concluded there was no case to respond to after finding no evidence of inside information provided to gamblers regarding betting patterns. The association also found no proof of deliberate attempts at so-called spot-fixing.

Sunderland manager David Moyes stated his already-relegated team agreed to let the ball out in the 26th minute to allow the substitution during the English club’s 5-1 loss.

BBC Sport pundit Alan Shearer stated he was still skeptical that there were betting practices involved.

Fellow BBC pundit Garth Crooks also criticized the fact that Terry’s substitution was arranged to take place in such a specific minute.

“This has obviously been set up,” said Crooks. “I’m a bit uncomfortable with it.”

Chelsea gave a similar send-off to former forward Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast in his own final game with the Blues, which also came against Sunderland.

Drogba was carried off the field by teammates midway through the first half.

In other regulations-related news, sources say the FA will conduct more than 5,000 drug tests by the end of the 2017-18 season, which is up from 3,300 last season and double the amount conducted in 2015-16.

The association believes it spends more on anti-doping measures than any other major sports governing body in the UK and more than any other national football association. Last season, there were only two anti-doping rules violations in English soccer, both for in-competition consumption of social drugs.

Manchester City were fined £35,000 ($46,000) — which is believed to be the maximum sanction possible under the current guidelines — after three rules violations in six months.

LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 15: John Terry of Chelsea shows appreciation to the fans after the Premier League match between Chelsea and Watford at Stamford Bridge on May 15, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Antonio Conte praised Alvaro Morata for his debut with Chelsea, a pre-season friendly matchup against Bayern Munich in Singapore on Tuesday, despite the Blues losing the game 3-2.

Antonio Conte Alvaro Morata Chelsea news

The Italian manager said it is still too soon to tell how much impact Morata — who entered the International Champions Cup contest as a second-half substitute — will have on Chelsea’s roster this upcoming season.

“It’s too early to speak about the impact of Morata,” Conte said of the Spanish forward, who signed a five-year deal with Chelsea last week in a transfer from Real Madrid. “He has only been with us for two days and he needs time to work and find his feet and to understand our way of playing.”

“But he showed a will to win, to fight and adapt to our style of play. For us, he’s a good buy. We need to give him time to adapt, but we must be pleased with his performance today.”

Morata, 24, contributed an assist on Chelsea’s second goal in Tuesday’s game, which Michy Batshuayi scored in the second half. The Spaniard joined Chelsea in a club-record £60 million ($78 million) on July 19.

Conte’s comments come after it was announced earlier Tuesday that Chelsea’s 21-year-old Brazilian midfielder Kenedy would miss Tuesday’s game and be sent home for posting a series of offensive comments about China on social media.

“It’s a pity because the player was sorry about this situation,” Conte said. “It’s a difficult situation for the club and this is why we made this decision.”

“The player understood his mistake and is sorry for what happened. Now, we must go on.”

Chelsea next face Inter Milan on Saturday in Singapore as part of their pre-season tour in Asia.

LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 21: Antonio Conte, Manager of Chelsea poses with the Premier League Trophy after the Premier League match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on May 21, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

The English Premier League has released the full list of games for the 2017-2018 season, and defending champions Chelsea will host Burnley on opening day Aug. 12.

Chelsea to Host Burnley In Opening Week Of 2017-2018 Premier League Season

Tottenham Hotspur — last season’s second-place finishers — will visit Newcastle United for their opening day fixture.

Manchester United will host West Ham at Old Trafford on opening day, while Manchester City will kick off next season with an away game against promoted Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Premier League announced the opening game-day schedule on Twitter early Wednesday:

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger — who recently signed a new two-year contract to stay on as the club’s coach — will see his team face 2015-2016 Premier League winners Leicester City.

Meanwhile, Marco Silva’s first game as Watford’s manager will see his team face Liverpool at Vicarage Road on opening day.

Spurs are set to play their second game at temporary home Wembley in Week 3, although the team have noted there is a scheduling conflict with another sporting event on the day they are slated to play:

West Ham will also have to adjust to stadium changes next season. They are unable to play at home until September because the London Stadium will not be ready after hosting the World Athletics Championships. West Ham are set to face Southampton on Aug. 19.

Premier League newcomers Huddersfield Town will visit Crystal Palace in Week 1.

Here is the schedule for the first seven weeks of the 2017-2018 EPL. All games are subject to change:

Saturday, 12 August, 2017

Arsenal vs. Leicester City
Brighton vs. Manchester City
Chelsea vs. Burnley
Crystal Palace vs. Huddersfield Town
Everton vs. Stoke City
Manchester United vs. West Ham United
Newcastle United vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton vs. Swansea City
Watford vs. Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion vs. AFC Bournemouth

Saturday, 19 August, 2017

AFC Bournemouth vs. Watford
Burnley vs. West Bromwich Albion
Huddersfield Town vs. Newcastle United
Leicester City vs. Brighton
Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace
Manchester City vs. Everton
Stoke City vs. Arsenal
Swansea City vs. Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea
West Ham United vs. Southampton

Saturday, 26 August, 2017

AFC Bournemouth vs. Manchester City
Chelsea vs. Everton
Crystal Palace vs. Swansea City
Huddersfield Town vs. Southampton
Liverpool vs. Arsenal
Manchester United vs. Leicester City
Newcastle United vs. West Ham United
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Burnley
Watford vs. Brighton
West Bromwich Albion vs. Stoke City

Saturday, 9 September, 2017

Arsenal vs. AFC Bournemouth
Brighton vs. West Bromwich Albion
Burnley vs. Crystal Palace
Everton vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Leicester City vs. Chelsea
Manchester City vs. Liverpool
Southampton vs. Watford
Stoke City vs. Manchester United
Swansea City vs. Newcastle United
West Ham United vs. Huddersfield Town

Saturday, 16 September, 2017

AFC Bournemouth vs. Brighton
Chelsea vs. Arsenal
Crystal Palace vs. Southampton
Huddersfield Town vs. Leicester City
Liverpool vs. Burnley
Manchester United vs. Everton
Newcastle United vs. Stoke City
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Swansea City
Watford vs. Manchester City
West Bromwich Albion vs. West Ham United

Saturday, 23 September, 2017

Arsenal vs. West Bromwich Albion
Brighton vs. Newcastle United
Burnley vs. Huddersfield Town
Everton vs. AFC Bournemouth
Leicester City vs. Liverpool
Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace
Southampton vs. Manchester United
Stoke City vs. Chelsea
Swansea City vs. Watford
West Ham United vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Saturday, 30 September, 2017

AFC Bournemouth vs. Leicester City
Arsenal vs. Brighton
Chelsea vs. Manchester City
Everton vs. Burnley
Huddersfield Town vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United vs. Crystal Palace
Newcastle United vs. Liverpool
Stoke City vs. Southampton
West Bromwich Albion vs. Watford
West Ham United vs. Swansea City

The season will end on May 13, a week earlier than last season. The 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals begin in Russia on June 14, which means there are now just 364 days left before that tournament starts. The English Football League schedule will be released on June 21.

The full season schedule can be viewed on the league’s website at www.premierleague.com/fixtures.

In related news, Premier League officials are considering holding some games on Saturday nights. Ben Rumsby of The Telegraph explained the details of the possible new development:

“Scheduling some matches for 7.45pm on Saturdays was discussed during the league’s summer shareholders’ meeting last week ahead of the upcoming launch of the tender process for its next domestic broadcast deal.

A final decision is expected this autumn, when clubs will also decide how many fixtures to make available to broadcasters between 2019-22 when the rights for those seasons are sold early year.”

Here is Chelsea’s full 2018 title run-in schedule:

31/03/2018    15:00    Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur

07/04/2018    15:00    Chelsea v West Ham United

14/04/2018    15:00    Southampton v Chelsea

21/04/2018    15:00    Chelsea v Huddersfield Town

28/04/2018    15:00    Swansea City v Chelsea

05/05/2018    15:00    Chelsea v Liverpool

13/05/2018    15:00    Newcastle United v Chelsea

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 25: Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea celebrates scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on February 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Arsene Wenger announced Friday that his future as manager of Arsenal will not be determined until after the FA Cup Final, which will be held at the end of May.

Arsene Wenger: Future with Arsenal to be determined after FA Cup Final

The Evening Standard’s James Olley was among the first to report the news:

Wenger’s contract expires at the end of Arsenal’s season, which finishes May 27 when the Gunners face Premier League winners Chelsea in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.

The 67-year-old Frenchman has been with the London-based club since 1996, and has repeatedly declined to discuss a possible contract extension (or lack thereof) with Arsenal despite angry protests from many fans for Wenger to resign.

ESPN’s Alex Shaw and The New York Times’  Rory Smith also expressed how tired they are of Wenger’s refusal to reveal how much longer he will be in charge at Emirates Stadium:

Wenger said whether or not he keeps his position will be decided in a board meeting.

“There are many aspects to be discussed at a board meeting. One is what happens with the manager,” he said. “Of course I will be there. At the moment we should focus on the short term and what is going on on Sunday and in the cup final.”

Should Arsenal defeat Chelsea in the FA Cup Final, that would be the Gunners’ first title this season.

Arsenal supporters have taken all sorts of extreme measures to voice their desire to see the French manager fired. During Saturday’s Premier League victory at Stoke City, a plane flew over the stadium while carrying a banner with the words “Wenger — out means out!” One of the Gunners’ most embarrassing defeats this campaign was a 10-2 aggregate loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

The Gunners are currently fifth in the Premier League with 72 points, just one point behind fourth-place Liverpool and three away from third-place Manchester City. Chelsea won the league with 90 points, while Tottenham finished second with 83.

Arsenal, which last beat Sunderland 2-0 at home on Tuesday, will host seventh-place Everton (61 points) on Sunday for their final Premier League game.

In order to finish in the top four in Champions League qualifying, the Gunners must beat Everton and hope Liverpool lose points by falling to Middlesbrough at home this Sunday — or that Manchester City lose severely to Watford.

“We have to do our job, we are professionals and want to win,” said Wenger. “We are on a good run and all we can do is win our game on Sunday. After that what happens to me is less important.

“I am here to serve the club and the best way to do that is by winning the next game.”

Watford recently announced that their own manager, Walter Mazzarri, will be leaving at the end of this season following a terrible run. The team is 16th in the Premier League with 40 points, and has lost its last five games, the last one being Monday’s 4-3 defeat against Chelsea that gave the Blues their Premier League trophy.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 11: Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal celebrates his team’s first goal in the stand during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Hull City at Emirates Stadium on February 11, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Cesc Fabregas has revealed, fresh off Chelsea’s Premier League title victory, what he believes makes Antonio Conte unique compared to other English club managers like Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola: his greater emphasis on strategy.

Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas Praises Antonio Conte

“Conte is something else,” Fabregas told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. “We have run a lot this season, lots of gym work and sprints. We did very well, the team was phenomenal physically. There is a lot of pressure to go up and down (the field).”

The 30-year-old Catalan midfielder, who scored Chelsea’s game-winner in Monday’s 4-3 victory over Watford, continued praising the Italian for his attention to detail.

“He is the coach who worked the most tactically, more than with Mourinho and Guardiola,” said Fabregas, who joined the Blues in 2014 from Barcelona. “We have to take into account that this year we have not had to play in the Champions League, something that will not happen next season.

“Conte is meticulous. Until everything is done, training is not finished.”

Fabregas played under current Manchester City boss Guardiola for one season at Barcelona, from 2011-2012. The midfielder then became a member of Mourinho’s Chelsea squad one year after the Portuguese manager came to Stamford Bridge in 2013 following a three-year stint at Real Madrid. Mourinho left to join Manchester United in 2016 and Conte took over the Blues after two seasons of serving as head coach of Italy’s national team and manager of several Italian league teams (Juventus, Siena, Arezzo) before that.

After Chelsea’s home victory at Watford on Monday, there was a fireworks display at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are set to carry the Premier league trophy when they host Sunderland on Sunday.

Fabregas has recorded five goals and 11 assists with Chelsea this season. He also said his teammate Gary Cahill is one of the strongest players on Chelsea’s squad, and emphasized how much time the central defender spends at the gym.

Conte’s team will finish the season on May 27, when they visit Arsenal for the FA Cup final.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 25: Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea celebrates scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on February 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

John Terry has revealed he may retire after his season with Chelsea ends this summer.

Chelsea Captain John Terry May Retire After Sunderland Game

The 36-year-old defender scored Chelsea’s first goal in the 22nd minute of Monday’s 4-3 victory over Watford at Stamford Bridge, his 716th appearance for the 2017 Premier League champion Blues.

Terry said after Monday’s win that he has not discounted the possibility that he may end his career as Chelsea’s captain after this Premier League campaign, which ends Sunday when the Blues host Sunderland.

“I’ve not ruled out Sunday being my last game and retiring from football,” Terry told Sky Sports. “If the right offer comes along I will sit down and consider it with my family – whether that’s here or abroad.

“Genuinely I haven’t made any decisions yet and I’m evaluating all my options at the moment.”

The England international has played for Chelsea since 1995, having started as a youth player before becoming a senior star in 1998.

The Blues have tied a record for victories in a season with 29. Antonio Conte’s team, which his playing its first season under the Italian, will also seek its 16th major title in the May 27 FA Cup final at Arsenal.

When Conte was asked if he believed Terry should retire, the manager said the defender should not quit under any circumstances. The Italian added, however, that he would support Terry whether he chose to stay with Chelsea or play for another team, and that Stamford Bridge would always welcome him with open arms.

“No. Absolutely [not],” Conte said of Terry’s potential retirement. “Otherwise he stays here. John wants to continue to play. I wish for him and his family the best. Chelsea will be always his home.

“When you arrive at this moment and your heart, your head and your body tell you continue to play, because you want to play, it’s right.”

Terry admitted he knows saying goodbye to fans during Sunday’s game against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge will be emotionally challenging should he go through with his plan.

“It’s going to be tough,” he said. “Tonight was tough but next week I’m going to be in bits.”

Terry, who also served as England’s captain (2006-2010, 2011-2012) is Chelsea’s most decorated player, with this year’s Premier League title securing him a fifth medal for the triumph.

The London-born central defender has also helped the Blues win five FA Cups, three League Cups, the Champions League and the Europa League. He is one of five players to have recorded over 500 appearances for Chelsea and is also the squad’s all-time scoring defenseman.

Terry, the 2005 PFA Players’ Player of the Year, also became the Blues’ first captain to win the FA Cup in 2007 at the new Wembley Stadium after Chelsea defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the final.

“If I could have written my story, this is how it would have panned out – to go having been crowned champions, and to leave the club in great hands with the manager, the owner and the players we have here,” Terry added. “It is going to be sad and emotional for me on Sunday because I’ve been here 22 years – but I’m delighted for the experiences and opportunities I have been given.”

Chelsea also secured their sixth English title with a 1-0 victory at West Brom.

Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld helped his team defeat Crystal Palace 1-0 in Wednesday’s game at Selhurst Park, and he is now issuing a warning to Chelsea ahead of Hotspur’s home game against Arsenal on Sunday.

Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld Issues Warning to Chelsea Before Arsenal Game

“It was a very important  win in a difficult away game,” the Belgian star said. “We know Crystal Palace have won against big teams but we played in a very adult way. We did not give them any chances and we know we have the quality and the creativity up front to make the difference.”

Chelsea, who beat Hotspur 4-2 in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, lead the Premier League with 78 points, just four points ahead of second-place Tottenham. Arsenal are sixth with 60 points, and Crystal Palace are 12th with 38 points.

Just as Alderweireld stated, Hotspur’s win against Crystal Palace on Wednesday was seen as a difficult game, given that Palace recently beat Chelsea 2-1 in a Premier League game on the road.

Now, Tottenham will hope to replace the Blues as the league leaders.

“We want to put pressure on Chelsea,” said Alderweireld, 28. “They won and of course we want to catch them. We fought as a team and did very well. The only thing we can do is try to win our games.

“We know it is going to be difficult but that is all we can do. This was a good response after the FA Cup semi-final. We are back in it. We showed character after Saturday and are back on track. That is very important, if you get a setback to respond immediately.”

Sunday’s game marks the last-ever North London Derby at White Hart Lane before it is completely reconstructed.

“It is a massive game. We are going to try and win at the Lane. It is going to be a special day and it is up to us to get three points,” Alderweireld added.

The Spurs, led by manager Mauricio Pochettino, have five games remaining this season. Tottenham hope to defeat Arsenal, their local rivals, to pass the Gunners in the Premier League standings for the first time in 22 years.