Wesley Fofana and Chelsea finally got their wish Wednesday after Leicester City sanctioned the center-back’s sale.
The 21-year-old has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea agreed to pay £70 million plus add-ons for him, according to BBC Sport.
French outlet L’Equipe reports Fofana will be the most expensive defender of all time if he achieves those add-ons. Harry Maguire holds the current record for a defender: an £80-million fee when he joined Manchester United from Leicester in 2019.
Fofana’s arrival takes the Blues’ summer spending to well over £250 million, including bonuses tied to some deals, as new co-owner Todd Boehly and head coach Thomas Tuchel try to usher in a new era.
“I trained this morning with the team, and it’s a dream for me. I’m very excited to start playing games for the fans and the club,” Fofana said.
“I’m here to win trophies – the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, everything. I came here to win, and the club is built to win trophies. So I’m here to continue that.”
Chelsea will need a marked improvement on their recent performances to fulfill Fofana’s dreams of silverware. The Blues’ recent 2-1 victory over a Fofana-less Leicester followed a loss to Leeds United and preceded a defeat against Southampton. Tuchel’s side is eighth in the Premier League table after five matches.
Fofana moved to Leicester from Saint-Etienne for around £32 million in 2020. He was an instant hit in the East Midlands through his mature performances in defense and was named the club’s Young Player of the Season. He only made seven Premier League appearances last term after breaking his leg in a preseason friendly.
Chelsea have also added Marc Cucurella and Kalidou Koulibaly to their backline this summer.
Manchester United reached an agreement with Ajax for the transfer of Antony on Tuesday, subject to the winger passing a medical and finalizing personal terms for his move to Old Trafford.
Ajax will receive €95 million up front, with the overall fee potentially rising to €100 million after add-ons.
Antony is now the second most expensive signing in Manchester United’s history. He ranks fourth in the Premier League’s list of priciest incoming deals, below Jack Grealish to Manchester City in 2021, Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea in 2021, and Paul Pogba to United in 2016.
The 22-year-old scored 18 goals and assisted 14 times over 57 Eredivisie appearances after agreeing to join Ajax from Sao Paulo in February 2020. He scored on his debut in September of that year and quickly developed a reputation as an entertainer through his catalog of tricks and skills.
Antony was dismayed when Ajax reportedly turned down United’s offers worth €80 million and €90 million this summer, saying his representatives had informed the Amsterdam outfit in February of his “desire to leave the club” to pursue his “dreams” abroad.
Now, the Brazilian star has his wish. He’ll add to Erik ten Hag’s wide attacking options, areas where Jadon Sancho, Anthony Elanga, Marcus Rashford, and Anthony Martial can already play. Antony’s arrival could also push the unsettled Cristiano Ronaldo closer toward the exit door amid rumors that Napoli and Sporting CP – two teams that, unlike United, are competing in the Champions League this season – are interested in signing the 37-year-old forward.
Antony is United’s second summer arrival from Ajax after Lisandro Martinez moved from the Johan Cruyff Arena for a fee that could reach €68 million after add-ons. Christian Eriksen also joined Ten Hag’s side on a free transfer, while Casemiro and Tyrell Malacia collectively cost around €87 million after bonuses to sign from Real Madrid and Feyenoord, respectively.
Manchester United reached an agreement with Ajax on Sunday to sign right-winger Antony in a deal worth up to €100 million, The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano reports.
Antony will sign a five-year contract with United, according to Romano.
Ajax reportedly rejected multiple bids before agreeing to let the Brazilian star leave for an amount that could make him one of the 10 most expensive signings of all time.
The 22-year-old urged the Dutch champions to let him go, saying Friday he had informed the club of his desire to face a “new challenge” as early as February.
Antony will become United’s fifth major signing of the transfer window. He’s also the second player to leave Ajax for the Red Devils, joining former teammate Lisandro Martinez at Old Trafford. United signed Martinez in July for an initial €57 million.
United have committed an estimated £212 million (€243 million) in transfer fees this summer.
The fee for Antony certainly raises eyebrows. He recorded 10 goals and nine assists across 30 appearances in the Eredivisie and Champions League last season and ranked 25th in the Dutch league in successful dribbles.
However, Ten Hag will count on Antony to fill the void on the right wing. A left-footed player, the Sao Paulo native can cut inside, play diagonal crosses, and shoot from distance. He also likes to make progressive passes and move the ball quickly up the field.
Antony’s contract with Ajax still had three years left to run.
The road to Istanbul has been paved. The draw for the 2022-23 Champions League group stage was completed Thursday, as the 32 clubs involved learned their opponents for the opening round of the competition.
Group A
POT
CLUB
COUNTRY
1
Ajax
Netherlands
2
Liverpool
England
3
Napoli
Italy
4
Rangers
Scotland
Instant analysis: As last season’s defeated finalists, Liverpool will be expected to once again make a deep Champions League run. The Reds face a challenging group, though, with Napoli and Ajax both talented and capable of staging upsets. Rangers, meanwhile, will bank on raucous support from their Ibrox faithful to ensure their return to the Champions League group stage is a memorable one after a trying 12-year absence.
Group B
POT
CLUB
COUNTRY
1
FC Porto
Portugal
2
Atletico Madrid
Spain
3
Bayer Leverkusen
Germany
4
Club Brugge
Belgium
Instant analysis: Atletico Madrid should be relatively pleased with this outcome, considering some of the other possibilities. FC Porto and Bayer Leverkusen are no pushovers, but Diego Simeone’s battle-tested side will be expected to grind out the results in typical Atleti fashion and reach the knockout stages once again. Club Brugge have taken some big hits in the transfer window, but they still have an outside chance of advancing.
Group C
POT
CLUB
COUNTRY
1
Bayern Munich
Germany
2
Barcelona
Spain
3
Inter Milan
Italy
4
Viktoria Plzen
Czech Republic
Instant analysis: Get the popcorn ready. Robert Lewandowski returns to Bayern Munich sooner than he ever expected, as the new Barcelona talisman will meet his former side shortly after his summer transfer. Barca will look to exact some revenge after they fell to Bayern in a pair of 3-0 losses during last season’s group stage. The proverbial Group of Death is topped off by Inter Milan, arguably the most dangerous team in Pot 3 for Thursday’s draw. Viktoria Plzen, the Czech champions, have a mountain to climb here.
Group D
POT
CLUB
COUNTRY
1
Eintracht Frankfurt
Germany
2
Tottenham Hotspur
England
3
Sporting CP
Portugal
4
Marseille
France
Instant analysis: Is this the year Antonio Conte finally puts some of his past Champions League struggles behind him? He couldn’t have asked for a much better outcome to get that ball rolling. Tottenham should be the class of the quartet, but given Conte’s history and the relatively equal status of the other three teams in the group, how this will play out is anyone’s guess. Eintracht Frankfurt, the Europa League holders, Sporting, and Marseille should all have eyes on the knockout stage.
Group E
POT
CLUB
COUNTRY
1
AC Milan
Italy
2
Chelsea
England
3
Red Bull Salzburg
Austria
4
Dinamo Zagreb
Croatia
Instant analysis: AC Milan and Chelsea, two clubs familiar with one another at the boardroom level from their recent confirmed and reported transfer dealings, headline an intriguing section. Red Bull Salzburg made some waves last season before finally succumbing to Bayern Munich, so the two Group E heavyweights will need to be on high alert against the Austrian outfit. But everyone will want to keep an eye out for Dinamo Zagreb’s Mislav Orsic, who has a flair for the dramatic in European competition.
Group F
POT
CLUB
COUNTRY
1
Real Madrid
Spain
2
RB Leipzig
Germany
3
Shakhtar Donetsk
Ukraine
4
Celtic
Scotland
Instant analysis: Familiarity was a key element of Thursday’s draw; reigning champions Real Madrid, the 14-time European Cup winners, will lock horns with Shakhtar Donetsk for the third consecutive season. Carlo Ancelotti’s men will likely be most wary of the threat posed by RB Leipzig. Meanwhile, Celtic, back in the group stage for the first time in five years, have every chance to sneak into second place and reach the knockout phase.
Group G
POT
CLUB
COUNTRY
1
Manchester City
England
2
Sevilla
Spain
3
Borussia Dortmund
Germany
4
FC Copenhagen
Denmark
Instant analysis: So, about those familiar faces. Erling Haaland, still pretty fresh off his big move to Manchester City, will be back at the Westfalenstadion when his new team meets his former club, Borussia Dortmund. Europa League savants Sevilla will aim to translate their success from the sister competition onto the main stage, while FC Copenhagen were surely hoping for a more generous outcome from the football gods.
Group H
POT
CLUB
COUNTRY
1
Paris Saint-Germain
France
2
Juventus
Italy
3
Benfica
Portugal
4
Maccabi Haifa
Israel
Instant analysis: By the time Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus meet, a pair of Argentines may have swapped the French capital for Turin. Angel Di Maria left PSG for Juve this summer after seven seasons, and Leandro Paredes could soon join him. That’ll be the standout match in Group H, but Benfica, even without Darwin Nunez, will provide a stern test, especially for a Juventus team that remains unsettled. Don’t discount the Portuguese club’s chances of advancing. Maccabi Haifa’s dramatic playoff victory to reach the group stage will likely be the highlight of their European campaign.
Champions League schedule
This season’s tournament kicks off in just 12 days, with the final slated for June 10, 2023, at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
In a change facilitated by the upcoming men’s World Cup, the entire group stage of the Champions League will be completed in the space of nine weeks to accommodate the tournament in Qatar, which starts Nov. 20.
Matchday 1: Sept. 6-7
Matchday 2: Sept. 13-14
Matchday 3: Oct. 4-5
Matchday 4: Oct. 11-12
Matchday 5: Oct. 25-26
Matchday 6: Nov. 1-2
The full fixture list will be revealed by UEFA at a later date.