WESTON MCKENNIE’S MASTERCLASS: WHY JUVENTUS’S 5-0 THRASHING OF CREMONESE CHANGES THE SERIE A RACE
Juventus hammer Cremonese 5-0! Weston McKennie and Kenan Yildiz lead the rout as Juve move level with Napoli in third place.
Weston McKennie couldn’t help but smile after Juventus hammered Cremonese 5-0. Scoring feels great, he admitted, but what really matters is the win. Khephren Thuram, on the other hand, prefers to just take things as they come—day by day.
People were starting to doubt Juventus after that 1-1 draw with Lecce. But they answered back, first with a 3-0 win over Sassuolo, and now this blowout against Cremonese.
Gleison Bremer scored in a pretty funny way—Fabio Miretti’s shot smacked him in the face and bounced into the net. Jonathan David found the net again, making it two games in a row for him, after a slick counterattack.
Kenan Yildiz pounced on a rebound when Emil Audero pushed a penalty onto the post. McKennie almost scored one, but it got credited as a Filippo Terracciano own goal since Terracciano couldn’t clear it off the line. McKennie got his goal eventually, heading in Pierre Kalulu’s cross to make it 5-0.
Both McKennie and Thuram kept their eyes on the bigger picture—team goals.
“In these matches, the big thing is picking up three points, especially when teams ahead of us drop theirs. Winning 5-0 always feels good, for us and for the fans too,” McKennie told Sky Sport Italia. He’s been playing all over the pitch lately, currently helping out as part of a trio just behind the striker.
“I’m always ready for whatever the team needs. Scoring’s nice, sure, but what really counts for me is helping the team win.”
The match wasn’t without its drama. Cremonese thought they’d won a penalty, but VAR overturned it after Manuel Locatelli’s sliding tackle. Meanwhile, Juventus wasn’t so lucky with a tough handball call against Federico Baschirotto.
Now, Juventus are level with Napoli and Roma for third place—39 points each. Still, Napoli, Milan, and Inter all have another game to play.
Thuram summed it up: “Like I said last week, we play to win every match and get better every day. At the end of the season, we’ll see where that takes us,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “This next month is huge, both in Serie A and the Champions League. We’ve got Benfica coming up, and that game means everything.”
CHELSEA AND LIVERPOOL BATTLE FOR JACOBO RAMóN AS REAL MADRID CLAUSE LOOMS
Jacobo Ramón is a top target for Chelsea and Liverpool! Discover how Real Madrid’s buy-back clause complicates this €18m transfer.
The modern transfer market never really follows a straight line, and Jacobo Ramón’s story at Como shows just how long a club’s influence can hang around, even after a player leaves. Caught Offside reports that the 21-year-old centre back has become one of the most-watched defenders this winter. Chelsea and Liverpool are keeping close tabs, but everyone knows Real Madrid still holds the real power.
When Ramón left Madrid for Como last summer, most people saw it as a chance for him to grow, get some games, take on some responsibility, and find his feet away from the Bernabeu. Instead, he’s blown up faster than anyone expected. He didn’t just settle in—he’s become a regular starter, standing out for his calm on the ball, smart positioning, and the kind of technical quality that works just about anywhere.
Premier League clubs are circling. Since December, agents say Chelsea, Tottenham, and Liverpool have all been tracking Ramón. Newcastle, Brighton, and Crystal Palace have sent scouts to watch him up close. It’s obvious what they see: even at 21, he looks comfortable running a defence, stepping into midfield, and sniffing out danger before it happens.
Chelsea likes him as a long-term project—he fits their whole youth-first approach. Liverpool’s interest is more about style. Ramón is quick, calm, and good under pressure, perfect for a system that needs defenders who can handle wide-open spaces and push the line up.
But any move comes with a web of complications. Ramón’s under contract at Como until 2030, and Madrid made sure they didn’t really let go. They put in an €8 million buy-back clause and a 50 per cent sell-on clause. So Madrid can either bring him back for cheap or cash in if he moves somewhere else.
His market value sits around €18 million, but for Premier League clubs, that number could climb fast. Madrid can buy him back and flip him right away, and Como will want a fee that reflects both his performances and potential.
So, the real question isn’t who wants him—it’s what Madrid wants to do. If they think Ramón’s ready, they can bring him back now. If not, they still get half the fee from any other club.
For Chelsea and Liverpool, that means waiting. He’s a tempting option for January, but Madrid’s control makes this more of a long-term chess game.
From Chelsea’s side, Ramón looks like exactly the kind of defender they like—young, skilled, and adaptable. Fans will be excited about the idea of getting ahead of the pack, not waiting until he’s a star in England. But there’s a catch. With so many young defenders already at the club, supporters might wonder if there’s a real plan for him—or if he’s just another asset, brought in because the opportunity was there.
Liverpool fans see things differently. They value defenders who think fast and play forward, and Ramón ticks those boxes. They trust the recruitment team not to overpay, especially with Madrid lurking in the background. Most fans get that this is probably one to watch, not one to force. If Liverpool goes for him, they’ll want it to be a smart, strategic move—not a rushed January deal dictated by messy clauses and outside pressure.
MANCHESTER UNITED SCOUT TARIK MUHAREMOVIć AMID €25M BID FROM RB LEIPZIG
Manchester United are scouting Tarik Muharemović! As RB Leipzig readies a €25m bid, will United secure the Bosnian star for their defence?
Manchester United just can’t seem to settle their defence, and now they’re turning their attention to Italy again. According to Caught Offside, United scouts have been making regular trips to check out Tarik Muharemović. He’s only 22, but since joining Sassuolo, he’s become one of the most reliable young defenders in Serie A.
His rise has been quick. Sassuolo picked him up from Juventus Next Gen last summer for about €3 million. Since then, he’s played 17 league matches and already left those low expectations behind. People are taking notice. United aren’t the only ones watching—Tottenham and Newcastle are keeping tabs, and both Inter and Juventus are still interested in Italy.
There’s a catch, though. When Juventus sold him, they made sure to add a clause that gives them 50 per cent of any future transfer fee. That means they’ll have a say in whatever happens next, and it makes things tricky for anyone thinking about making a move—especially if it’s another Italian club.
Then there’s the German angle. RB Leipzig is ready to put €25 million plus bonuses on the table. That’s a serious offer, but Sassuolo aren’t interested in selling this January. Their CEO, Giovanni Carnevali, admitted there’s been contact but no official bids, and he’s made it clear the price will only go up depending on who’s asking.
For United, this all fits their bigger picture. Harry Maguire’s future is still up in the air, and the club keeps looking at younger defenders who can grow into a long-term role. Muharemović fits that mould: comfortable with the ball, strong, and already pretty savvy for his age.
Honestly, a January move doesn’t look likely with Sassuolo digging in, but once the summer window opens, expect things to heat up. Europe’s top clubs are watching, and the longer everyone waits, the higher the price could climb.
Fans, though, have every right to be a bit tired of this dance. United have chased big-name defenders before, only to end up disappointed. Going for a young centre-back who can actually develop feels overdue, maybe even obvious at this point.
Still, there’s a fair bit of scepticism. Supporters are used to hearing about “monitoring” and “scouting,” but they want to see some action. With clubs like Leipzig ready to swoop in, there’s always that worry United will show up late, pay over the odds, or just miss out.
That Juventus clause doesn’t help either. Fans know how quickly these complicated deals can fall apart, and there’s always the question—does the club have the nerve and the plan to pull this off? Even so, on paper, Muharemović makes sense. If United are serious about rebuilding with patience and structure, he’s the kind of player who might quietly turn into a real asset. The big question, as always, is whether they can actually get it done.