Chelsea are said to have reached a full agreement to sign an experienced Premier League midfielder as Xabi Alonso begins to craft his new squad. The Blues are expected to spend this summer, likely agreeing with Alonso that he would be able to give this squad a new look when appointing him just before the end of last season.

Previous Blues bosses have had limited say on recruitment, but that particular strategy may have reached its end, with any big-profile manager like Alonso likely to demand at least partial control before putting pen-to-paper.

This Chelsea squad is bursting at the seams with talent and potential, but it lacks polished players who have the knowledge and experience to manage critical and difficult situations. But that’s something Alonso appears to be hoping to address immediately.

Xhaka heading to Stamford Bridge

Chelsea are now said to be closing in on the signing of experienced Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka, who played a key role in the Black Cats qualifying for Europe against the odds last season.

The 33-year-old is certainly in the back nine of his career, but he is proving he still has plenty to offer to the Premier League, and Alonso, who is said to have pushed for the deal, is hoping to lean into that.

Florian Plettenberg posted on X: “Granit Xhaka and Chelsea have already reached a full verbal agreement over a transfer. Personal terms have been fully agreed. #CFC Chelsea are already in contact with Sunderland. Xabi Alonso is pushing hard to sign Xhaka post Blick and various English media outlets.”

That follows reports that Xhaka was keen to complete the move to Chelsea, and equally keen to return to living London having spent seven years with Arsenal between 2016 and 2023.

The holding midfielder was under contract with Sunderland until 2028, but given his age, it’s likely to be an affordable fee as far as Chelsea are concerned. Despite his age, Xhaka made 34 appearances from a possible 38 for Sunderland in the Premier League last season, and he is also playing a key part in Switzerland’s World Cup campaign.

Xhaka is a leader on and off the pitch

Chelsea have sorely lacked experience in recent times, and there is little doubt in that being the inspiration behind the signing of Xhaka. Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris said of Xhaka last season: “To be competitive at that level, you need to own the performance on the pitch. Granit helps a lot because he can manage different elements on the pitch. he’s not alone but he gives hope and faith that we can win. He shows it, tells it in the dressing room.

“The target as a coach is this, you don’t want to be the main man. This is not my purpose. I want to give knowledge, power, responsibility to the squad because you have to manage the game in real time.

“We have other players on the pitch able to manage micro situations, not just Granit. We are able to improve our level, to be more flexible and more adaptable. He sets the standards, this is probably the most important thing. He is always at his top (level) so he doesn’t have to talk, just show. It’s very important.”

Alonso is already a big fan of Xhaka, describing him as a “key player” during the 2023/24 season at Bayer Leverkusen and suggesting he “makes my job on the bench much easier” because he is a “coach on the pitch”.

In the sport of tennis, no tournament is more iconic than Wimbledon. Winning the legendary championship just once is the dream of almost every player who sets foot on a court.

To lift a trophy at SW19 on multiple occasions is even more difficult. When it comes to the gentleman’s singles title, only 16 men have won the championship three or more times in the 149-year history of the event. Even British tennis legend, Andy Murray, has only won the coveted title twice.

However, one member of that select group to have won Wimbledon on three or more occasions is now banned from the UK and unable to visit the tournament where he once made history.

Three-Time Wimbledon Winner Currently Banned From Tournament That Made Him Famous

Andrew Couldridge via Reuters

At the age of just 17 years and 227 days, Boris Becker became the youngest man ever to win Wimbledon in 1985. He retained his title the following year, before claiming it for a third time in 1989.

Over the years, Becker’s legend grew as he became synonymous with the tournament. He later carved out a yearly role as an analyst for the BBC’s coverage of the event.

Becker’s world, though, would come crashing down around him in 2022, when he was jailed for two-and-a-half years for hiding £2.5 million worth of assets to avoid paying debts after he was declared bankrupt.

The 58-year-old only served eight months of that sentence, but was immediately deported from the UK after his release. As a result of his deportation, Becker is now banned from the UK, although the German is currently in the process of appealing that sanction.

‘I Miss Wimbledon’ – Banned Player Desperate to Return to SW19

Susan Mullane via Reuters

Reflecting on his time in prison during a recent interview with The Telegraph, Becker described how the experience had changed him as a person.

“When you are incarcerated, you literally lose everything,” he admitted. “All that is left is your personality, your character. So you have to dig down inside to ask, ‘OK, who am I? Is this going to kill me, or is this going to make me stronger?’”

Becker went on to admit how much his ban from Wimbledon hurt him, describing the venue as his ‘birthplace’.

“I don’t think I miss London, but I miss Wimbledon,” he declared. “It’s my birthplace, in a sense.

“I feel so close to the club, to the courts. I have a story on every court, in every corner, in the locker room, in the car park. I probably know Wimbledon better than anyone else alive.”

Venezuela’s devastating earthquakes have claimed the lives of more than 1,400 people, with almost 70,000 reported missing by Saturday morning.

The South American country was hit with 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes on Wednesday, causing complete devastation. Among the fatalities were family members of Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo.

Trejo, who plays for Venezuelan second-tier club Marítimo, was hoping for good news regarding his loved ones after a heartbreaking 74-hour search.

Lucas Trejo Loses Wife and Children in Earthquake Devastation

His wife, Yanina Maranella, and their two children, Aaron and Ainhoa, were found dead on June 27. Trejo has yet to comment publicly on the matter, but had posted an image of his family on Instagram just hours before they were found.

His club confirmed the tragic news in a statement. It read: “Club Sport Maritimo La Guaira deeply mourns the loss suffered by Lucas Trejo’s family; we ask for respect for his relatives and teammates. After a 74-hour search, they were found deceased.”

Edson Tortolero, a friend of the family and Venezuelan footballer, also posted about the tragedy on social media. In a translated Instagram post, he said (per New York Post):

Trejo’s dad and brother had reportedly travelled to Venezuela to try and help the search for his wife and kids. Yiimvert Berroteran, an 18-year-old aspiring footballer, was another fatality.

Wife of Baseball Player Dies in Earthquake

Gorkys Hernandez, a former Venezuelan baseball player, also suffered the heartbreak of losing his wife in the disaster. The ex-Major League Baseball star posted an emotional statement, in which he said:

“You were and are the most beautiful woman in my life. You will always be with me, at every hour and in every moment. Fly high, my princess, my queen. May God have you in his glory and guide me to keep going and lift up our family.”

Up to 6.76 million people could be affected, according to the International Organisation for Migration. Two million of those are in Caracas, the capital.