Author: Joe Soriano

Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.

Enzo Maresca is Chelsea’s only winner right now
18Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Analysis

Enzo Maresca is Chelsea’s only winner right now

Enzo Maresca walked away from Chelsea in the middle of the season after realizing that the board had screwed him over with no intention to sign a defender despite his begging for a second straight transfer window. At the time, if some Chelsea fans had sour grapes, those same fans have likely seen the light after watching the Blues get dismantled a second time in the Champions League Round of 16 by reigning winners PSG, who are through to the quarterfinals on an 8-2 aggregate. Filip Jorgensen could be blamed for the first leg, but the second leg was on the defense. Right now, Chelsea's best healthy center back is Wesley Fofana, and, well, nobody would mistake him for world class. Malang Sarr is nowhere near Chelsea quality, Tosin Adarabioyo should have never been signed, Trevoh Cha...
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Manchester United have found their ideal partner for Kobbie Mainoo
18Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Manchester United have found their ideal partner for Kobbie Mainoo

Manchester United are going to be aggressive about upgrading their midfield in the summer 2026 transfer window, and one of the keys will be finding players who suit their style and the personnel they have, especially young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. In 2023/24, Mainoo was a huge breakout star, but his play has fallen off lately, with neither Ruben Amorim nor Michael Carrick yet recovering the best version of the promising talent. According to a report from Peter Hall and Mark Douglas of The i Paper Sport, Manchester United are beginning to step up their interest in Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali, viewing him as an ideal tactical fit alongside Mainoo. Elliot Anderson reportedly remains the No. 1 transfer target for Manchester United, but with competition stiff with rivals Manch...
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‘That’s why he is here’ – Mikel Arteta has seen the light with Eberechi Eze
18Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

‘That’s why he is here’ – Mikel Arteta has seen the light with Eberechi Eze

Arsenal just cannot stop winning, as they pulled off a dominant 2-0 victory at home in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16, sending Bayer Leverkusen packing in the Granit Xhaka (and Bernd Leno) Derby. The star of the night for the Gunners was Eberechi Eze, who scored the opening goal in thunderous fashion, volleying with such ferocity that he had the stadium roaring on its feet and both fans and other players buzzing about the goal long after the game. And even Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was highly impressed with the goal, telling reporters after the Leverkusen game, via Hand of Arsenal, "The team was immense today. When you talk about technique and making contact..that’s why he is here. (Eze) Enjoy tonight, we have a beautiful final on Sunday.” "That's why he is ...
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At long last, Manchester United have found their dream Marcus Rashford replacement
18Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

At long last, Manchester United have found their dream Marcus Rashford replacement

Marcus Rashford is not a part of the Manchester United squad anymore, and, in all honesty, he hasn't been a real part of the club's future plans for years at this point. But as Man United begin to draw closer to a permanent solution for Rashford with Barcelona, the discussion now turns to a goal scoring true left winger who can both replace and be an upgrade on the best version of Rashford from years prior. Yan Diomande, a young breakout star for RB Leipzig, is one option, but Give Me Sport report that Manchester United have found another, more polished candidate in Bradley Barcola. Manchester United are reportedly prepared to push hard for the PSG superstar, even knowing how expensive and how difficult it will be to convince the Frenchman to leave the reigning Champions League wi...
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Thierry Henry thinks Declan Rice isn’t the only Premier League Player of the Season candidate on Arsenal
18Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
News

Thierry Henry thinks Declan Rice isn’t the only Premier League Player of the Season candidate on Arsenal

Declan Rice has been so brilliant as a leader and all around player in the Arsenal midfield that many pundits have been giving him Ballon d'Or shouts, and as the Premier League Player of the Season debates heat up, the Gunners faithful are throwing around his name plenty in conversations. But legendary Arsenal stiker Thierry Henry doesn't think Arsenal have just one Player of the Season caliber star in their side, which makes sense since they are the clear leaders in the Premier League and are now through to the Champions League quarterfinals again. Speaking on the CBS broadcast, Henry gave some love to the man between the sticks, calling Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya someone who he feels should be in contention for Player of the Season, too. And it makes sense. Raya has clearly b...
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Chelsea fans learn the truth about Enzo Fernandez’s future
17Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Chelsea fans learn the truth about Enzo Fernandez’s future

There are a lot of wild transfer rumors flying around about another Chelsea star, as Enzo Fernandez continues to be the subject of rampant speculation of a summer transfer away from Stamford Bridge. The reality is more complicated. According to a new report from Ben Jacobs of Give Me Sport, Chelsea would want more than the 125 million pound, Premier League record fee that Liverpool paid to Newcastle United for Alexander Isak in order to sell Fernandez this summer. They spent 107 million pounds, previously the Premier League record for an incoming transfer, in order to sign Enzo from Benfica years ago, and Jacobs reports that they are not interested in even contemplating selling Fernandez for less than what they paid for him. Furthermore, the links to PSG and the Saudi Pro League a...
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Chelsea have found an obvious Alejandro Garnacho replacement
17Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Chelsea have found an obvious Alejandro Garnacho replacement

Chelsea hit the jackpot with Joao Pedro from Brighton, but the rest of their attacking signings in the summer 2025 transfer window were underwhelming, particularly Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Liam Delap. Alejandro Garnacho is a more complex case, but he does not look like the solution on the left wing. Chelsea need a better playmaking left wing hybrid, and there is an obvious candidate on their radar. According to a report from talkSPORT's Alex Crook, Chelsea are among the top clubs who are watching Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers as a potential transfer this summer. Aston Villa want to sell Rogers for the same 100 million pounds they sold Jack Grealish to Manchester City years ago, and they could be forced into selling their most valuable player if they do not make the Champions Le...
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Eberechi Eze offers injury update after Arsenal vs. Bayer Leverkusen
17Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Injury News

Eberechi Eze offers injury update after Arsenal vs. Bayer Leverkusen

Arsenal's new star midfielder Eberechi Eze has slowly but surely been showing a higher level to his game on and off the ball, and he was the one who pushed the Gunners ahead at home in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 vs. Bayer Leverkusen with a smashing volley. Eze reminded the world of his top notch ball striking with that thunderous hit, blasting the ball with venom, as if he were taking out his frustrations while being one of the few Arsenal players brave enough to go for a tough goal rather than pass laterally. It was a huge game for Eze, who has been a bit inconsistent in his first season at the Emirates. The momentum is on his side now, though Arsenal fans were briefly scared that it had been arrested by injury when they watched him hobble off in the second h...
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Manchester United fans get the Bruno Fernandes transfer news they were begging for
17Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

Manchester United fans get the Bruno Fernandes transfer news they were begging for

Bruno Fernandes's isn't just having a great year. No, no, the Manchester United No. 10 is the consensus No. 1 player in the Premier League this season, and more and more pundits are starting to recognize the Portuguese international as the Premier League Player of the Season in 2025/26. There have been discussions regarding Fernandes's future and speculation dating back over a year that he could be headed to the Saudi Pro League as a dream signing for the government from the Premier League. But Fernandes has done more than just prove he is far from finished. He has shown that he is elite and quintessential to Man United's success, with Michael Carrick on the verge of bringing the Red Devils back to the Champions League. Manchester United fans are practically begging the club to ke...
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‘I don’t know’ – Enzo Fernandez gives Chelsea fans new transfer fears
17Mar By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Transfer News

‘I don’t know’ – Enzo Fernandez gives Chelsea fans new transfer fears

Chelsea center midfielder Enzo Fernandez has been the subject of transfer speculation in recent weeks, and while most indications are that the Argentinian international will not leave, the ball is in his court. And to that end, Enzo himself now isn't exactly dousing the transfer rumors with a heaping dose of cold water. In a way, he fanned them with his response to ESPN Argentina after Chelsea's latest blowout loss to PSG in the Champions League to knock them out of the tournament. Fernandez said of the transfer speculation, via Fabrizio Romano, “I don’t know — there are 8 games left and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup and then we’ll see”, Chelsea invested a lot of money in Enzo and do not seem interested in selling him for less than the sort of exorbitant fee that would scare o...
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