Chelsea
Report shares what Klopp told Werner in last phone call before Chelsea swooped
According to The Athletic, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner to explain why a summer move to Anfield would not happen following consultation with parent company Fenway Sports Group. The Reds boss insisted that the decision was purely a financial one as he has no negative reflection on the player or his proposed role in his squad. Both Germans remain on good terms after Werner came to terms with the explanation, but it wasn’t enough to convince him to go ahead with plan B – which was to wait until next season – hence, his decision to agree to a move to Chelsea. The Blues were more than ready to meet his £54 million release clause in full as owner Roman Abramovich is keen to back boss Frank Lampard in the summer transfer market by making at least two marque...
Jose Mourinho keen on signing Chelsea attacker for Spurs but faces obstacle: report
Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho is keen on a reunion with Chelsea winger Willian this summer but will need to offload at least one attacker to compensate for the Brazilian’s arrival. Willian’s current contract expires at the end of next month but he is expected to remain committed to the Blues until the end of the current season, which has been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. A number of clubs including Paris Saint-Germain have been credited with an interest in the experienced winger but it is quite clear that he would prefer to reunite with Mourinho at Spurs next term. Still, a deal does not appear straightforward, according to The Star, considering chairman Daniel Levy wants Mourinho to permit the sale of one of the existing forwards prior to Willian’s arrival. Willian will ...
Report: Brazilian undecided over next club, but he prefers Tottenham Hotspur
According to Todofichajes, Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing Willian, but the Chelsea winger is more attracted by Tottenham Hotspur. Willian is out of contract at Chelsea at the end of next month, and no new deal is in place. It does look very likely that the Brazil international, who can operate as a winger or as an attacking midfielder, will become a free agent from the start of July. Todofichajes has claimed that PSG sporting director Leonardo is in talks with Willian, with Spurs also interested, and it is the North London club that the 29-year-old prefers due to having previously worked with their manager Jose Mourinho. The report has added that the former Shakhtar Donetsk star has not officially decided his next club. Brilliant signing for Tottenham Hotspur Willian is one ...
Newcastle United now reportedly facing Chelsea competition for £22.5m forward
Newcastle United’s reported quest to sign Said Benrahma from Brentford has just become tougher due to Chelsea. The Northern Echo reported in February of Newcastle’s interest in signing the 24-year-old forward in the summer transfer window. It was claimed that the Magpies had a scout to watch the Algeria international in action for Brentford against Middlesbrough in the Championship. However, it now seems that Newcastle will have to battle with Premier League rivals Chelsea for the signature of the former Nice man, who can operate anywhere in attack. According to Todofichajes, Chelsea have identified the Championship player as a potential transfer target this summer. The report has added that Brentford value Benrahma at €25 million (£22.49 million). Stats According to WhoScored, Benrahma ha...
Contact made: Arsenal step up their pursuit of £60 million Chelsea target
Arsenal have ramped up their interest in signing Lyon striker Moussa Dembele. The 23-year-old was strongly linked with a move to Chelsea earlier this month, but L’Equipe has claimed that the Gunners have now made contact with his representatives. Arsenal could be set to lose both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette this summer, potentially leaving them woefully short of forward options. The former Celtic and Fulham star has been hugely impressive since joining Lyon, scoring 42 goals in 88 appearances for the club in all competitions. The early curtailment of the season in France left Lyon outside the European qualification spots, sparking talk that they would need to sell some of their top players. Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas described the decision to cancel the 2019/20 ...
FA Cup Schedule: provisional dates for QF, SF and Final announced
The FA have confirmed today that the remaining matches of the 2019-20 FA Cup will go ahead after the Premier League decided to restart on June 17. A provisional restart date for the 2019-20 Emirates FA Cup has been announced after the competition came to an abrupt halt due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Some provisional dates for your diary… 👀#EmiratesFACup — The Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) May 29, 2020 With the number of deaths keeping on rising in the country, as also elsewhere, it looked like football will fail to restart and the competition will have to be scrapped completely. However, after the Premier League decided to restart the season from June 17th, the FA have announced that the FA Cup quarter-finals will now take place over the weekend of Saturday 27 June and Sunday ...
Opinion: PL club likely to sell 29-cap int’l…he would be a superb signing for Newcastle
Irrespective of where Newcastle United finish this season, the Magpies fans could look forward to the transfer window if the potential new owners arrive, eventually. Despite all the obstacles faced by the Saudi consortium (issues of human rights and piracy), the Amanda Staveley camp are very confident that they will pass the Premier League’s ‘owners and directors test’. Some journalists have claimed that the new-owners could invest around £200m on recruitment and infrastructure, while there are others who reported that the Stavely group will take it steadily and that it is a long-term project for them. Already players of calibre like Kalidou Koulibaly and Phillipe Coutinho have been linked, it remains to be seen how the transfer window shapes up for the Magpies, especially with the global ...
Report: Hammers hoping to land £40m French midfielder ahead of PSG and Italian giants
According to le10sport, West Ham United are interested in bringing Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko to the London Stadium this summer, with a loan move on the cards. The France international has spent the last two seasons away from Stamford Bridge and he isn’t in manager Frank Lampard’s plans for next term. Bakayoko has two more years left on his current deal and Chelsea are ready to sell him for £31 million, but suitors, including AS Monaco where he spent the just-concluded French campaign, aren’t interested in meeting their demands. Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan (where he spent 2018-19 on loan) are also interested in his services, and West Ham are looking to pip the duo to his signature. David Moyes’ side could be without the in-demand Declan Rice next season, and they are looking ...
Wilfred Ndidi: Why Leicester City move was very scary for me
Wilfred Ndidi claimed he saw his move to Premier League side Leicester City as an opportunity rather than getting carried away with pressure. After three seasons at Belgian top-flight side Genk, the Nigeria international joined the Foxes in a transfer deal worth £17 million. At that time, the King Power Stadium giants were reigning English champions, plus they needed a replacement for N’Golo Kante who had joined Chelsea on a five-year deal. The Frenchman played a starring role in Leicester’s English top-flight-winning campaign where he made 40 appearances while helping France reach the final of Euro 2016. Despite adapting to life quickly at the Luminus Arena after his move from Nigeria’s Nath Boys Academy, Ndidi said he saw an opportunity to ‘develop’, thus, embraced the burden of expectat...
Chelsea, Manchester United, Leicester contact Philippe Coutinho’s agent over summer move
Premier League clubs Chelsea, Manchester United and Leicester have all reportedly contacted Philippe Coutinho’s agent ahead of a summer transfer. According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo claims Chelsea remain Coutinho’s preferred choice but Newcastle have also unofficially registered an interest. Coutinho is currently on a season-long loan at Bayern Munich from Barcelona but faces a fight to return before the end of the season following ankle surgery. Bayern have the option to make Coutinho’s move permanent but have been unwilling to meet Barceline’s £100million price tag. Recent reports claimed Bayern manager Hansi Flick had been hoping to extend the Coutinho’s deal until the Champions League is completed later this summer. Yet according to Mundo, Barcelona aim to have Coutinho sold by...
Bayern Munich confirm €120 million Philippe Coutinho purchase option has expired
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has revealed that the Bundesliga champions have not activated their purchase option for Philippe Coutinho. Barcelona’s Brazilian midfielder joined on a season-long loan last summer, but has failed to fulfil his potential in Bavaria and Rummenigge says the clause has now expired. Coutinho, 27, arrived with the option to buy for €120million last August, but Bayern have opted not to exercise the deal, though Rummenigge did not totally close the door on a future for Coutinho in Germany. “The option expired and we haven’t activated it,” Rummenigge told German magazine Der Spiegel. “We’re going to plan our squad for next season and we’ll see if he still has a role to play with us or not.” The former Liverpool star has failed to hit the heights he did ...
Chelsea star may be on his way out as club ramps up interest
Valencia could be set to offer Kepa Arrizabalaga a route out of his Chelsea nightmare. The Spanish stopper arrived at Stamford Bridge with a big reputation, but he has failed to live up to the hype. Arrizabalaga joined Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao for £71 million in 2018 and was tipped to backstop the Blues to glory. However, his erratic performances led to him being dropped by manager Frank Lampard, sparking talk that he will be sold this summer. Chelsea have been linked with numerous goalkeepers over the past few weeks, with Ajax star Andre Onana believed to be their number one target. With Chelsea seemingly willing to offload Arrizabalaga, Spanish media outlet Sport has claimed that Valencia are interested in securing his services. A return to La Liga may appeal to the 25-year-old, part...
