Chelsea’s quest for a fresh primary shirt sponsor for the upcoming 2023/24 season has hit a roadblock, with the Premier League thwarting a potentially lucrative deal with Paramount+.
Following the conclusion of the previous agreement with Three, who had emblazoned Chelsea shirts for three years since 2020, the Blues were in need of a new branding partner.
Although Three briefly paused their marketing activities with the club in 2022 due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, they resumed the partnership after Roman Abramovich sold the club in June last year. There were even discussions about removing Three’s branding from the shirts, but kit supplier Nike couldn’t produce new ones under the existing license.
Now, Chelsea had set their sights on Paramount+, an American streaming platform, as a potential sponsor. However, the Premier League, according to the Daily Mail, has deemed the deal to be in violation of the Deed of License, which covers various broadcasting aspects.
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Paramount+ operates in the UK, providing streaming services for entertainment shows and films. Importantly, it is also a broadcast partner of the Premier League in the United States. Therefore, a partnership with Chelsea could pose complications for the league, even though Paramount+ doesn’t stream games in the UK.
Consequently, Chelsea will need to explore alternative options. Allianz, a German financial company already deeply involved in football, has been mentioned as a potential candidate. However, recent reports suggest that a deal with Allianz would be less financially rewarding compared to partnering with Stake, an online betting platform.
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If Chelsea were to collaborate with Stake, the sponsorship arrangement would likely be relatively short-term. This is because Premier League clubs recently voted to prohibit betting companies from featuring as primary shirt sponsors starting from 2026.
After that, only sleeve and pitchside gambling advertising will be permitted. Furthermore, there is a moral dilemma considering the Chelsea Foundation’s active efforts to raise awareness about the harmful impact of gambling.
The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust conducted a poll among its members, revealing that over 77% of the voting participants strongly disagreed or disagreed with the prospect of an online casino and betting company serving as the primary shirt sponsor.
In a letter addressed to Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly, the group unequivocally expressed their stance and highlighted the initiatives overseen by the Chelsea Foundation.
Belgian Midfielder Youri Tielemans will join Aston Villa on a four-year deal from Leicester City following the club’s relegation from the Premier League.
The Leicester City midfielder will join the club after his contract expires on July 1. Tielemans earlier joined Leicester City in 2019 and helped them win the Emirates FA Cup in 2021 after scoring the only goal in Leicester’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley.
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The Belgian international joined Leicester initially on loan from Monaco in January 2019, later making his move permanent in July of that year. He scored 28 goals in 195 appearances throughout all competitions for the club.
He has played in two World Cups, the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup, as well as the 2020 Euros.
Tielemans will join Aston Villa after they finished seventh in the Premier League last season, securing a spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that the club is still actively pursuing a new contract for midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.
Gundogan’s existing contract is set to expire at the end of the month, and there has been interest from Barcelona in acquiring him on a free transfer. However, Guardiola remains determined to retain the services of the 32-year-old, who currently serves as the captain of Manchester City.
Gundogan has showcased his immense value to the team, particularly in the FA Cup final victory on Saturday, where he scored two remarkable long-range goals. This impressive display brought his total goal tally for the season to 11, accompanied by seven assists across all competitions.
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Following the match at Wembley, Guardiola made it clear that he is not willing to concede defeat in his efforts to secure Gundogan’s continued presence at the club. Manchester City is actively engaged in negotiations to extend Gundogan’s contract and is determined to retain his services for the upcoming seasons.
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“He knows what I think,” Guardiola said. “Txiki [Begiristain, football director] is working on it. Hopefully, he can be successful.”
Gundogan also took the opportunity to speak out after the game, stressing his love for City but refusing to make any commitments.
“I feel very appreciated at the club,” Gundogan told beIN Sports. “I have never been at a football club for seven years.
“So, I think that shows how much I love this team, the manager and I love this club. We will see what’s going to happen.”
Guardiola has never hidden his desire to retain Gundogan, but talks over an extension with City have so far proven fruitless and Barcelona are determined to take advantage of the situation with a bargain move for one of the world’s most in-form midfielders.
The Spanish side must, however, wait for La Liga to approve their financial plan before pushing ahead with any moves.
In this listicle, Sporting Tribune showcases the Top 10 fastest players in the English Premier League blessed with incredible pace and acceleration.
Prepare to be shocked by some of the players on this list.
1. Kyle Walker (Manchester City) – 37.31km/h
Speed king Kyle Walker again played a key role in Manchester City’s title win. He fought his way back into contention after a spell on the bench to also star in their run to the Champions League final.
And even though the Englishman is now 33 years old, he still managed to register the fastest top speed in the Premier League. That came in at 37.31km/h, with Walker proving he still has what it takes to flourish at the top level.
2. Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest) – 36.70km/h
Brennan Johnson starred as Nottingham Forest famously secured their stay in the Premier League. Johnson proved to be the difference-maker time and time again for Forest this campaign. He was the only player to appear in all 38 of their league games, scoring eight goals. The striker proved to be a major problem for defences all season long and registered a top speed of 36.70km/h.
He was the only player to appear in all 38 of their league games, scoring eight goals. The striker proved to be a major problem for defences all season long and registered a top speed of 36.70km/h.
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3. Mykhaylo Mudryk (Chelsea) – 36.63km/h
The leading Chelsea player for speed this season has been Mykhaylo Mudryk, who joined from Shakhtar Donetsk in January. The Blues beat Arsenal to signing the winger for £89million, though he has struggled to live up to that price tag.
He has shown several bright spells in his first six months at Stamford Bridge though, with his speed clear to see. The Ukranian has been ranked as the third-fastest player in the Premier League, registering a speed of 36.63km/h.
4. Anthony Gordon (Newcastle) – 36.61km/h
Newcastle splashed out to buy Anthony Gordon from Everton in the January window and in the process got their hands on one of the Premier League’s fastest players. Gordon struggled for goals, scoring just once in 16 games.
But he did regularly feature in the second half of the campaign to help Newcastle to secure a Champions League qualification spot. And in doing so, he also secured fourth place in the list of the top-flight’s fastest players with a speed of 36.61km/h.
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5. Darwin Nunez (Liverpool) – 36.53km/h
Much was expected of Darwin Nunez when Liverpool made him their club-record signing last summer. But the attacker has failed to live up to those heights, having endured a mixed debut campaign at Anfield.
There are hopes that he can finally begin to live up to his potential next season after settling into life in the English top-flight.
Those hopes are in part fueled by several bright spells, including the fact he recorded the fifth-highest top speed in the Premier League this term.
6. Arnaut Danjuma (Tottenham) – 36.34km/h
Arnaut Danjuma appeared to be a good signing for Tottenham in January, but much like many others at the club this term, the winger failed to impress. He made just one top-flight start, in their penultimate game of the campaign.
They lost that 3-1 to Brentford, with Danjuma making just eight other appearances in total. He still managed to record the sixth-fastest top speed in the Premier League, coming in at 36.34km/h.
7. Matheus Nunes (Wolves) – 36.32km/h
Heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, Matheus Nunes instead joined Midlands club Wolves last summer. The midfielder has proved to be a solid Premier League player, with his speed at the heart of his impressive displays.
He recorded a top speed of 36.32km/h this term, making him the top-flight’s fastest central midfielder. Nunes’ performances in the middle of the park eventually helped Wolves to pull safely away from relegation trouble having been bottom at Christmas.
8. Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – 36.22km/h
Erling Haaland has enjoyed arguably the best debut season in Premier League history, setting a record for the most goals scored in a single campaign. The Norwegian has established himself as one of the best strikers in world football.
He combines power and goalscoring nous with incredible pace, hitting a top speed of 36.22km/h this season. His impressive range of abilities helped him to score 36 goals in 35 Premier League appearances.
9. Denis Zakaria (Chelsea) – 36.09km/h
Midfielder Denis Zakaria endured a torrid time at Stamford Bridge, who arrived on loan from Juventus last summer. Zakaria made just seven appearances and was frozen out by caretaker boss Frank Lampard.
Despite his limited game time, the Swiss star was still able to record the ninth-fastest top speed in the top-flight. That came in at 36.09km/h, making him the second-fastest player to have featured for the Blues this term.
10. Reiss Nelson (Arsenal) – 36.07km/h
Arsenal star Reiss Nelson hit a top speed of 36.07km/h this season, having only featured as a substitute. He made some key contributions though, memorably scoring the winner in a thrilling clash with Bournemouth.
That was one of five direct contributions to goals from the Englishman this term as the Gunners mounted a title challenge. Arsenal are now thought to be attempting to tie him down to a new contract having taken the crown of the fastest player in Mikel Arteta’s squad.
A gang involved in the illegal streaming of Premier League matches have been sentenced to jail after providing discounted subscriptions to over 50,000 individuals.
The Premier League confirmed that five men were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and contempt of court, having amassed more than £7 million in profits over a span of five years.
The operation’s alleged mastermind, Mark Gould, received an 11-year prison term at Chesterfield Crown Court, while his co-defendants Steven Gordon, Peter Jolley, William Brown, and Christopher Felvus also faced substantial sentences. The group offered unauthorized access to matches from numerous international channels and tens of thousands of on-demand films and TV shows.
One member of the gang, Zak Smith, failed to attend the court hearing, resulting in a warrant for his arrest being issued by the Premier League. The organization further revealed that the illegal streaming enterprise employed 30 individuals, with one infiltrating a specialized anti-piracy company.
William Brown, from Stoke-on-Trent, attempted to deny the charges by claiming to have acted as an undercover informant on behalf of law enforcement agencies and broadcasters. However, he was unanimously convicted by a jury after a seven-week trial.
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According to the Premier League, Brown allegedly used his technical skills to hack legitimate customers’ accounts and access and duplicate streams, intending to shift blame onto those customers if identified by authorities.
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The prosecution received support from Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s trading standards team and the intellectual property protection organization Fact.
Premier League general counsel Kevin Plumb expressed satisfaction with the sentencing, highlighting the extensive and intricate nature of the prosecution against this highly sophisticated operation.
“The sentences handed down, which are the longest sentences ever issued for piracy-related crimes, vindicate the efforts made to bring these individuals to justice and reflect the severity and extent of the crimes.
“This prosecution is another concrete example of the clear links between piracy and wider criminality, a warning we repeatedly make.
“While most Premier League fans enjoy watching our games in a safe way, those who were customers of these services were effectively supporting individuals involved in other sinister and dangerous organised crime.
“The Premier League’s substantial financial contribution to the entire football pyramid is made possible through the ability to sell our broadcast rights.
“We are pleased that through rulings such as this, the courts continue to show that they recognise the importance of safeguarding the Premier League’s rights.
“We will continue to protect our rights and our fans by investigating and prosecuting illegal operators at all levels.”
Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho, has expressed his desire for a swift return to the Premier League following Leicester City’s relegation last Sunday.
Despite Leicester’s 2-1 victory over West Ham United in the final game of the 2022/23 season, the result was not enough to keep them in the top flight as Everton, their fellow strugglers, secured a crucial 1-0 win over Bournemouth, ensuring their survival in the Premier League ahead of the Foxes.
Despite limited playing time this season, with only 1,121 minutes of action in the Premier League, Iheanacho made significant contributions with 10 goal involvements (five goals and five assists) for Leicester City.
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In a video shared on the club’s official YouTube channel, “Seniorman” as he’s fondly referred to by fans openly expressed his disappointment at Leicester’s relegation but remained hopeful that the club would quickly return to top-flight football.
“I don’t even know how I feel right now. I’m so disappointed. I don’t know what to say. I want to thank the football club, the fans, and everyone that supported us right from the start till now. I know it is a hard one to take. Whatever it is, we would keep going and stay strong, and hopefully, we would get back up.
“It is a downturn now. Nobody is really happy at this time. It is about timing for the club and everyone. We just need to take a chill and move on. It is not what we want. We can’t go back now thinking about it. We just have to move forward.
“The fans were really amazing and even till the end they were just clapping and showing their support. It is a hard one to take but I just want to thank them for all their support and for everything they’ve done for the club. We will just try our best to come back up.”
In a heartbreaking conclusion to their nine-year tenure in the Premier League, Leicester City was relegated despite their victory over West Ham on the final day of the season.
The Foxes’ fate was beyond their control as they entered the last round of fixtures, and Everton’s 1-0 triumph over Bournemouth sealed Leicester’s relegation to the Championship by a slim two-point margin.
While Everton supporters reveled in ecstasy at Goodison Park, Leicester fans at the King Power Stadium were left to lament a dismal campaign that saw their team secure only nine league wins.
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Knowing they needed a win to have any chance of staying up, Leicester came close to an early breakthrough when Kelechi Iheanacho and James Maddison combined, with Iheanacho’s fierce, curling effort striking the crossbar.
Nonetheless, the hosts managed to break the deadlock just before halftime when Harvey Barnes calmly finished off a pass from Iheanacho, momentarily keeping their survival hopes alive on goal difference.
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The second half was fraught with nerve-wracking tension, as Jonny Evans came perilously close to scoring an own goal. However, the atmosphere in the stadium turned somber when news arrived of Everton’s goal, dampening Leicester’s chances of a miraculous escape.
Despite the setback, Leicester continued to fight, and Wout Faes headed in their second goal after a delightful curling effort from Said Benrahma struck the post for the visitors.
As the match concluded, Pablo Fornals managed to pull a goal back for West Ham, sealing a 14th-place finish for the Hammers, comfortably six points clear of the relegation zone.
Mauricio Pochettino has signed a three-year contract to become the new Chelsea head coach.
The Argentine is in Spain but expects to start at Stamford Bridge next week, with the official announcement on his appointment expected in the coming days.
Chelsea have been searching for a new manager since sacking Graham Potter last month. Pochettino verbally agreed to accept the job earlier this month and will be the third permanent manager to work under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake capital ownership since they bought the club last year.
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Pochettino who has been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last summer, emerged as the favourite after Chelsea held talks with the former Barcelona and Spain manager Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann, who was sacked by Bayern Munich in March.
The former Tottenham manager will need patience as Chelsea look to rebuild after a difficult season. The 51-year-old will inherit a bloated squad at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea, who will not be in Europe next season, have spent close to £600m on new signings in the past year. They will need to sell players this summer.
Frank Lampard openly accused his Chelsea squad of not putting in enough effort during training throughout the season in the aftermath of their 4-1 loss to Manchester United on Thursday night.
Despite a few positive moments early in the game, the team’s poor finishing in front of goal allowed Manchester United to exploit their weaknesses.
Lampard acknowledged before the match that Chelsea’s overall “standards” had been declining, and he didn’t hold back when asked about his comments after the final whistle.
He emphasized the importance of having strong foundational standards for any team to succeed in the Premier League.
“It’s a simple thing to say but any team that wins in the Premier League has them [standards] as a base because without them the tactics do not matter,” Lampard said.
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“Training well every day, trying to improve, being a real collective unit. There are some variables for the players, everyone talks about the bog squad and I understand that it’s hard for the coaches this year at the club – I get it because I’ve lived that for nine league games now.
“Sometimes you can say that is maybe a factor – if you want to call it an excuse – but as a player you have to put that to the side and focus on your own game. Since I’ve been in I’ve understood quickly that some of the collective standards – and it’s for the individuals within that to realise who they are – this is not a blanket, we just have to find the reasons for why the club is where it’s at, and there are many.
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“It’s not just finger-pointing at the players because it’s definitely not a lack of effort this evening, but you build up the credit through your training and your prep, and you build up resilience. I was fortunate enough to be a player here for many years and you can look at the group and the player next to you and know that he’s worked on his standards and everything is there to rely on each other.
“It’s a bad year for the club, and many clubs have these years when we’ve had massive success for the last 20 years or whatever, but the important thing is you get to the bottom of how it improves. It needs a reboot, the club will move on in the summer in terms of what the squad looks like, and as a Chelsea player where we want to be, everything has to be improved to get to the level.”
Chelsea’s current season has been disappointing, with the team set to finish with their lowest points tally ever. Additionally, their 16 defeats mark an unwanted club record. Unless they achieve a miraculous nine-goal victory against Newcastle on the final day, Chelsea will also end the campaign with their lowest goal tally.
It is clear that Lampard recognizes the need for significant improvements within the squad and the club as a whole, as they aim to bounce back and reclaim their previous levels of success.
Pep Guardiola accepts his Manchester City side must not only win the Champions League but do it more than once to be regarded among the greats.
The City manager has no doubts about the brilliance of his team but, despite their near dominance of the Premier League in recent seasons, he feels they need European success to truly make their mark on history.
City are now strong favourites to win the Champions League for the first time this season after powering into next month’s final against Inter Milan with a crushing win over holders Real Madrid in midweek.
Guardiola said: “The team is really good but I agree with the media or when people say you have to lift Europe, and you have to lift it again, to be considered in the same type as ‘other’ teams.
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“Those teams win in Europe, not just once, but many times. We have not.”
City have been the pre-eminent force in domestic football since Guardiola took charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016 but they have endured a catalogue of near-misses in the Champions League.
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The closest they have come to success is when they were beaten in the 2021 final by Chelsea.
Guardiola said: “The joy (of winning) is so nice. It is amazing being here. Nothing is going to change for us if we lift it, but if we want to be considered one of the best teams, we have to win the Champions League.
“My opinion is not going to change but to be in the books – the real books – we have to be there.”
Guardiola has made a huge impression on English football as a whole and raised standards in terms of results and style of play.
Yet despite steering his side towards a glorious treble this term, he remains modest about the scale of his own contribution.
“English football belongs to England,” he said. “Every manager has his own ideas but I didn’t change anything, honestly.”