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Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

New Chelsea signing Pedro Neto shares the same agent as Felix and it almost appears more than a coincidence that he’s now discussing a possible return to Stamford Bridge for the 24-year-old.

The Blues are also looking at the possibility of signing Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and have held discussions over the possibility of the Nigerian being used as part of the deal that would see Romelu Lukaku head to Naples to reunite with Antonio Conte.

Lukaku has reportedly agreed a three year deal with the Italian side, whilst Chelsea are trying to sign Osimhen on loan with Napoli believed to prefer a permanent transfer.

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Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Charlie Patrick — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 21:54:45 +0000

Samu Omorodion’s move to Chelsea has fallen through after a major problem finalising the contract according to David Ornstein.

Chelsea had agreed a £34.5m fee with Atletico Madrid for the striker and the 20-year-old was expected to complete his move before the start of the season.

Omorodion, who was expected to sign a seven year contract with the Blues was part of the Spain squad which won Olympic gold after they beat hosts France in the 5-3.

Omorodion’s move to Chelsea has fallen through

The Blues have been in the market for a striker and despite signing teenager Marc Guiu from Barcelona they have been looking to add another goalscorer to their ranks, with Omorodion their chosen man.

Everything appeared to be agreed between clubs and player, but Ornstein has reported the deal is off after there was a major problem finalising the contract.

He took to X.com and said:

“Samu Omorodion transfer from Atletico Madrid to Chelsea has collapsed. Deal agreed club-to-club & between 20yo #Atletico striker + #CFC.

“But major problem finalising contract means deal off; Spain youth int’l not moving to Stamford Bridge @TheAthleticFC.”

? Samu Omorodion transfer from Atletico Madrid to Chelsea has collapsed. Deal agreed club-to-club & between 20yo #Atletico striker + #CFC. But major problem finalising contract means deal off; Spain youth int’l not moving to Stamford Bridge @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/zTcEl1Omll

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 11, 2024

This news certainly represents a blow to Chelsea who have tracked the striker for the majority of the summer and clearly believe in his ability.

Omorodion joined Atletico last summer from Granada but spent the season on loan at Alaves where he scored nine goals in 36 appearances.

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Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

He’s yet to kick a ball for Atletico, but is regarded as one of the most promising young strikers in Europe, although he’s still vey raw and needs a lot of refining.

Chelsea could now turn their turn their full attention to Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, with the Blues in talks with their Italian counterparts over the possibility of the Nigerian being part of the deal which would see Romelu Lukaku head to Naples.

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Enzo Maresca explains what excites him most about Chelsea’s new €60m man

Charlie Patrick — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 21:00:16 +0000

Enzo Maresca admitted he’s “very excited” by the signing of Pedro Neto following Chelsea’s final pre-season game against Inter Milan on Sunday.

The Blues concluded their pre-season campaign with a 1-1 draw against the Italian champions at Stamford Bridge thanks to Lesley Ugochukwu’s last minute equaliser.

It was Maresca’s first game in charge at his new home and represented his final chance to see his team in action before they kick off the new campaign against Manchester City on August 18th.

Maresca excited by Neto

The Blues have been busy in the transfer market and the Chelsea faithful got the chance to see their latest signing as Pedro Neto was paraded on the pitch at half time.

Chelsea agreed a deal with Wolves on Friday worth £51.4m for the Portugal international which seeming appeared out of nowhere, and he’s signed a long term contract with the club.

Neto is a proven quantity in the Premier League and will add depth and quality to the wide areas, with the fact he can play on both wings seen as a huge plus by Chelsea.

Neto joined Chelsea for £51.4m.

Following the game Maresca admitted he was very excited by the signing of the 24-year-old and said he can offer many things.

“Im very excited, he can offer many things. He can play on the right side, he can play on the left side, he’s very good one-on-one,” he told Chelsea’s website.

“It is one more option we have because there will be many, many games in the season, so we need a big squad.”

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Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Neto, who has had a number of injury issues over the past few seasons was limited to 20 Premier League appearances last season in which he provided nine assists and scored two goals and Chelsea will be hoping he can stay fit.

The Portuguese will train with his new team-mates this coming week and could make his debut for the club against City.

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Fabrizio Romano provides update which will please Chelsea fans

Charlie Patrick — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 20:02:31 +0000

Napoli are going to try and reach an agreement next week for Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

The Blues have been busy in the transfer market with a number of new faces coming through the door, the latest being Pedro Neto who was presented on the pitch at half time of Sunday’s game against Inter Milan.

However, Chelsea have a number of players they need to move on before the end of the window and progress on outgoings has been slow.

Napoli will try to reach Lukaku agreement next week

Chelsea have sold Ian Maatsen and Omari Hutchinson, whilst Conor Gallagher is on the verge of joining Atletico Madrid, but that’s just scratching the surface of who needs to be moved on.

There’s currently a group of players including Lukaku, Armando Broja and Trevoh Chalobah training away from the first team whilst they sort their futures out.

In regards to Lukaku, Chelsea will be desperate to move him on once and for all this summer following his disastrous return to the club in 2021.

Lukaku wants to join Napoli but they have yet to reach an agreement with Chelsea.

The Belgian has a £38m exit clause in his contract and has spent the last two seasons on loan at Inter and Roma, but now has set his sights on a move to Napoli and a reunion with Antonio Conte.

Lukaku has reportedly agreed a three deal with Napoli, but as of yet there’s no agreement with Chelsea and the deal is made more complicated by the fact Napoli need to offload Victor Osimihen to make room for the Belgium international.

However, Romano has provided an update on the situation and has reported that Napoli are going to try and reach an agreement for Lukaku next week.

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Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

“Napoli next week are prepared to get in touch with Chelsea again to try to reach an agreement and bring Romelu Lukaku to Antonio Conte,” he said on his YouTube channel.

Chelsea expect the exit clause to be paid in full but the longer the saga drags on they may accept slightly less if it means they can get his wages off the books once and for all.

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Surprise name could leave Chelsea on loan if club complete blockbuster signing

Charlie Patrick — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 19:48:26 +0000

Chelsea could loan out Marc Guiu or Samu Omorodion if they manage to complete a deal for Victor Osimhen according to reports.

The Blues are set for a busy final few weeks of the window and are close to wrapping up the signings of Omorodion and Pedro Neto.

Whilst further incomings can’t be ruled out the main priority is departures as Chelsea need to reduce their squad size ahead of the new season.

Guiu or Omorodion could leave on loan if Osimhen arrives

Although the likes of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Armando Broja and Trevoh Chalobah need to be moved on, one of Chelsea’s biggest priorities is to sell Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis.

The Belgian has a £38m exit clause in his contract and is currently training away from the Chelsea first team.

The Telegraph have reported that Chelsea have informed Napoli they must meet the clause if they wish to sign the Belgium international as the Blues don’t want to send him on another loan.

Omorodion is set to join Chelsea in a deal worth £34.5m.

As the end of the window draws closer it remains to be seen if Chelsea’s stance might change, but Lukaku has reportedly agreed a three year contract with Napoli.

The major hold up in the Lukaku deal is Osimhen as Napoli have yet to sell the Nigeria international, but they have held talks with Chelsea over the possibility of the striker being involved as part of the deal that would see Lukaku head to Naples.

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Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

It would appear this saga could head to the final days of the window but The Telegraph add that if Chelsea were to land Osimhen it’s possible summer signings Guiu or Omorodion could head out on loan.

It would make most sense to loan out Guiu considering he’s just 18, whilst spending £34.5m on Omorodion to then immediately loan him out would seem strange, although a possible arrival of Osimhen would lessen his chance of getting regular minutes which he needs to develop.

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Chelsea star suffers injury setback in training ahead of vital season for him and the club

Charlie Patrick — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 18:48:14 +0000

Chelsea captain Reece James suffered an injury setback in training this week after picking up another hamstring injury according to The Athletic.

James has been plagued by injuries over the past few seasons and was limited to just 11 appearances in all competitions last season as he missed almost five months with a hamstring injury which he underwent surgery on.

The 24-year-old was seemingly making good progress as he started all five of Chelsea’s games on tour, but he will now miss Sunday’s game against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge.

Reece James suffers injury setback

The Athletic have reported that James felt some “discomfort” in training after the squad returned from America and the injury has been described as “minor.”

James is suspended for Chelsea’s first three games of the season having picked up his second red card of the season at the back end of the last campaign against Brighton.

James is suspended for the first three games of the Premier League season.

It means Chelsea can take their time with the recovery process and if all goes to plan he will be available for the game against Bournemouth on September 14th.

However, James could miss the two-legged UEFA Conference League play-off later this month against Braga or Servette with the games taking place on the 22nd and 29th of August respectively.

Whilst the injury has reportedly been described as minor there must be some concern at Chelsea that James has suffered another hamstring issue.

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Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

There will be legitimate cause for concern if James isn’t available for the game against Bournemouth after the September international break.

Malo Gusto will replace the England international for the first three games and having hugely impressed last season the Frenchman has also looked good in pre-season, and has to go down as one of Chelsea’s most important signings under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake.

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Chelsea target set to undergo medical this weekend after €60m swoop agreed

Charlie Patrick — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 22:20:52 +0000

Pedro Neto has arrived in London and will undergo a medical on Saturday ahead of his move to Chelsea according to Fabrizio Romano.

It’s been a busy summer at Stamford Bridge and as well as a new manager the Blues have made a number of signings in an attempt to strengthen their squad and qualify for the Champions League.

Chelsea are reportedly in the market for a striker and a winger, and after agreeing a deal worth £35m with Atletico Madrid for striker Samu Omorodion they have moved quickly to secure another attacking signing.

Neto to have Chelsea medical on Saturday

In news which seemingly came out of nowhere it was reported on Friday that Chelsea had agreed a deal with Wolves to sign Portugal international Neto for €60m with a further €3m in add ons.

The Blues managed to keep the deal from the media until it was virtually done and it came as a surprise to many, not least Chelsea fans.

Romano has provided an update on Neto and reported the Portugal international is now in London and will undergo his medical on Saturday.

He took to X.com and said:

“Pedro Neto has arrived in London, medical tests booked on Saturday as new Chelsea player.

“Understand Neto will sign contract valid until June 2030 plus option for further season. #CFC believe he’s perfect to play on both wings, flexible and talented to add quality.”

?? Pedro Neto has arrived in London, medical tests booked on Saturday as new Chelsea player.

Understand Neto will sign contract valid until June 2030 plus option for further season.#CFC believe he’s perfect to play on both wings, flexible and talented to add quality. pic.twitter.com/5MOebacZA4

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 9, 2024

Neto had been attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs including the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal, but he’s now closing in on a move to Chelsea.

Reports have suggested both Chelsea and Spurs had player plus cash deals rejected before Chelsea agreed a straight cash deal with Wolves.

Ben Jacobs has reported that the players Chelsea offered were Trevoh Chalobah and David Datro Fofana.

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Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Neto is a top talent and at 24 years of age there’s plenty of room for improvement, although the one concern is his injury record which has seen him miss 102 games over the past four seasons.

The winger made 20 Premier League appearances last season, scoring two goals and providing nine assists and Chelsea’s biggest task will be keeping him fit.

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European giants target shock move for Chelsea ace

Charlie Patrick — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 21:41:37 +0000

Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling is among the options being considered by Juventus as they look to sign a winger according to reports in Italy.

Sterling arrived at Stamford Bridge from Manchester City in a deal worth £50m in 2022 and despite some glimpses of quality his time at the club has been disappointing.

The 29-year-old’s wages are believed to be in excess of £300,000 and he has three years reaming on his deal in west London.

Juventus consider move for Sterling

The Blues have agreed a deal to sign Wolves winger Pedro Neto for £51.4m which could push Sterling down the pecking order.

In an ideal world it would it’s likely that Chelsea would want to get Sterling’s wages off their books and reinvest them elsewhere.

There haven’t been many suitors for Sterling and he reportedly turned down an approach from Saudi Arabia last summer.

Sterling has three years left on his Chelsea contract.

However, Italian outlet Di Marzio have reported that Juventus are interested in Sterling and he’s among the options they are considering for a new winger.

The report adds that the Italian giants are eyeing a loan deal and are also interested in Porto’s Francisco Conceicao and Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho.

Juventus are reportedly gathering information to understand the conditions of a potential deal and if it would be possible.

Sterling, who was booed by Chelsea fans at times last season scored eight goals and provided four assists in 31 Premier League games.

With the imminent arrival of Neto, Sterling will be competing for minutes with the Portuguese as well as the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke.

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Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

Chelsea’s €40m transfer falls through after major problem finalising contract

Former Everton chief executive drops West Ham points deduction verdict after £110m signings

Sterling has shown glimpses in pre-season under Maresca, but he’s still inconsistent and lacks end product which is the case for a number of Chelsea’s attackers.

It would be interesting to see what the Blues decide to do were a serious offer to come in and reports have always suggested that Sterling is very happy with life in London.

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Inside Spain: Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino latest, Gibraltar bans and Conor Gallagher chaos

Ruairidh Barlow — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 18:10:01 +0000

Inside Spain is a weekly instalment brought to you by Football España, providing an insight into all of the major stories coming out of the rich and intense climes of La Liga and beyond.

It’s been a breathless week in Spain in the transfer window, without much actually being confirmed. There are a lot of people on transport to new cities though.

Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez looks as if his flight from Ibiza is booked for early next week to compete a €75m plus €20m in variables deal to Atletico Madrid. Samu Omorodion will fly for London once the Olympics are over on Friday, to complete a €42m move to Chelsea.

Going the other way will be Conor Gallagher. He did not travel for 48 hours after making a decision on his future, mostly because Atletico tried to pull out of a €42m deal for him. Valencia Sporting Director Miguel Angel Corona did them no favours by revealing they wanted Javi Guerra instead, who they had also agreed a deal for. He had booked off training and booked a train to Madrid, but was told not to get on.

Such has been the excitement at Atletico that Kylian Mbappe’s first training session at Real Madrid has almost gone unnoticed. Arsenal fans could well be able to celebrate the signing of Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino, with a bid due before the end of the week, but Real Madrid are reportedly part of the reason they did not go after teammate Martin Zubimendi this summer, for the first time in three years.

#RealMadrid beat #ChelseaFC 2-1 in their final warm-up before the European Supercup.pic.twitter.com/d25fQpi792

— Football España (@footballespana_) August 7, 2024

It might be the year they persuade him to leave though: the €60m Zubimendi is keen on a move to Liverpool, but is facing an effort from Real Sociedad to convince him to stay. Both leaving would be disastrous for the Txuri-Urdin.

Barcelona were of course the other power in the mix for Zubimendi for the past two years, but it looks as if they will forego the midfield spot entirely to bring in Dani Olmo, who arrived on Tuesday – but notably has not been announced. Nico Williams looks as if he will stay at Athletic Club after returning to training a week early in Bilbao, but Barcelona maintain they are still trying to sign him. At least one midfielder is having an impact at Barcelona though, with new coach Thiago Alcantara proving a valuable addition.

Finally, there have been plenty of run-ins with the authorities this week. Alvaro Morata and Rodri Hernandez will pick-up a one-match ban from UEFA for chanting ‘Gibraltar is Spanish’ during their Euro 2024 celebrations. That was a minor offence compared to ex-Barcelona and Real Madrid forward Javier Saviola, who spent Monday morning in an Andorran jail cell.

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Chelsea star set to be named one of club’s vice captains despite video controversy

Charlie Patrick — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 23:15:56 +0000

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez is expected to be named as one of the club’s vice captains according to reports.

Fernandez upset a number of his team-mates earlier this summer when he went live on Instagram chanting a racist and homophobic song about French footballers with his Argentina team-mates after their Copa America success.

Chelsea have subsequently dealt with the matter and consider it closed internally, although FIFA are thought to still be investigating the video and Fernandez could still end up with a possible ban.

Fernandez expected to be named one of Chelsea’s vice captains

The World Cup winner was handed the captains armband by Reece James in the second half of their 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid on Tuesday.

After the game Enzo Maresca described the midfielder as an important player and said he was a well respected member of the squad.

“He’s one of the important players,” the 44-year-old told reporters.

“To be honest, I think when we changed Reece, he gave the ‘bracelet’ to Enzo and this shows how Enzo is respected inside the squad. I think it’s quite clear.”

Fernandez is expected to be named as one of Chelsea’s vice captains.

The Times have reported that the Argentina international is expected to be named as one of the Chelsea’s vice captain’s despite only being at the club for 18 months.

Ben Chilwell was the club’s vice captain last season, but this news would suggest Maresca is going to have several vice captains.

Fernandez arrived at Chelsea from Portuguese giants Benfica in January 2023 for a then British transfer record of £106.8m

The 23-year-old played through the pain barrier last season, but missed the final six games of the season to undergo surgery on a hernia issue which had been causing him problems.

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Chelsea in shock talks for former player to return after collapse of £34.5m transfer

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