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ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has reiterated that he is NOT demanding the repayment of his £1.6bn loan to Chelsea.And the sanctioned Blues owner insisted he has engaged with the Government to discuss how the promised charity donation from the sale should be carried out.
Government sources hinted that Abramovich had made a U-turn on his initial pledged and demanded the money that had kept the Blues going for the past 19 years was paid to a Jersey-based company as part of the sale deal.
Meanwhile, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is not giving up on his Chelsea bid without a fight and has begged the club to consider his offer.
The British petrochemicals mogul, 69, has vowed to improve Stamford Bridge as it exists rather than build a new stadium as Roman Abramovich had planned to.
Boehly has reportedly been named as the preferred bidder for Chelsea despite a last-gasp £4billion bid from Ratcliffe.
And Boehly’s team were told they had been granted a “period of exclusivity” to discuss the final terms and conditions of a takeover package.
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Rice faces three-match European ban
Declan Rice faces a three-match European ban after his X-rated tunnel rant at a referee.
And that spells bad news for Chelsea and Manchester United, who are both chasing the England midfielder this summer.
West Ham star Rice, 23, blasted Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzan after last night’s Europa League semi-final defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Sensational footage captured Rice losing his head in the tunnel after a game which saw Aaron Cresswell and David Moyes receive red cards.
Rice shouted at the official: “Ref! Ref! it is so poor. All night, it is so bad. How can you be that bad? Honestly.
“You’ve probably been f***ing paid. F***ing corruption.”
How Chelsea could line up against Wolves
Recent results for Chelsea mean the Blues are starting to look over their shoulders a tad nervously.
Thomas Tuchel’s side have just a five point cushion over fifth-placed Tottenham after two wins in their last six Premier League games.
A win on Saturday against Wolves though would help settle some nerves.
Bruno Lage’s side are the visitors to Stamford Bridge on a torrid run of form of their own – losing four out of their last five games.
Chelsea though are set to be without two key midfielders for the 3pm kick-off.
Tuchel confirmed today that both N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are sidelined for the clash through injury.

Abramovich transfer history
As Todd Boehly closes in on a Chelsea takeover, let’s look at Abramovich’s spending numbers.

Tuchel on Chelsea new owners
Thomas Tuchel has given his opinion on the Chelsea ownership situation.
He said: “I’ve been told last week that we have a preferred bidder and things are going forward.
“It’s a pretty important week for the club, but I was fully focused on the pitch. But after what I heard last week, I’m confident.
“Clearance is always the best, because when the situation is clear you can take actions, make judgements, take actions.
“Otherwise you’re in a passive role, and this is what we are right now.”
Tuchel on Pulisic drama
Thomas Tuchel has revealed that he and Christian Pusilic have no problems after the star’s dad make cryptic comments about his future.
Tuchel said in response: “I am not concerned if the player’s father says he does not love me [on Twitter].
“As ever, we have our reasons to choose our line up and at this level you will never see happy faces when not selected.
“Between me & Christian, we have zero problems.”
Tuchel’s Rudiger problem
Thomas Tuchel has revealed that it’s going to be difficult to replace Antonio Rudiger.
That’s because of the sanctions imposed on Chelsea, Tuchel moaned.
But he also admitted that finding Rudiger’s replacement will be difficult even when the ban is lifted.
He said: “”At the moment, it is not possible [to replace him] because of the sanctions.
“And even when the sanctions are in the past, it will still be incredibly difficult to do so.”
Declan Rice tipped for transfer
Declan Rice will leave West Ham for Chelsea or Man United this summer.
That’s the view of Stan Collymore who told CaughtOffside: “West Ham, unfortunately, crashed out of the Europa League at the semi-final stage on Thursday evening after losing 3-1 on aggregate to Eintracht Frankfurt over two legs.
“Should the club fail to qualify for either of Europe’s two biggest competitions next season, I wonder what this could mean for their best players. Could the Hammers lose significant first-team players this summer?
“Well, Declan Rice is the obvious one. Manchester United and Chelsea and I think even the Spanish giants have been talked about in the press, so the clear answer is yes.”
It Kan happen
Paul Merson thinks Chelsea might cash in on N’Golo Kante if they can get up to £80m for the midfielder.
He said: “Kante’s situation is an interesting one, and I think Chelsea might cash in on him if they get a sizable bid of around £70-80 million for him this summer.
“With the way he plays, it’s hard to hit the heights every year in the Premier League, but it goes without saying that he has been a bit underwhelming this season.”
Chelsea get Wolves boost
Chelsea have been given a huge boost ahead of their game against Wolves this weekend.
That’s because Wolves boss Bruno Lage will be missing from the club’s dugout.
It’s been reported that Lage has been struck with Covid.
Rice’s ref rant
Chelsea transfer target Declan Rice is facing a three-game Uefa ban after he explosively accused officials of taking bribes after West Ham’s defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Aaron Cresswell was sent off and boss David Moyes dismissed to the stands as their European dreams came to an end.
And afterwards their star midfielder exploded at the match official inside the tunnel and now looks set to face Uefa action.
Tunnel cam footage has now emerged from after the clash, and it shows the furious Rice confronting the Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzan outside the changing-rooms.
The England ace blasts: “Ref! Ref! it is so poor. All night, it is so bad. How can you be that bad? Honestly.
He then turned to walk away and added: “You’ve probably been f***ing paid. F***ing corruption.”
Merson fears for Chelsea
Paul Merson fears for Chelsea’s defence when Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen leave this summer.
He told Sky Sports: “Chelsea need bodies at the back.
“Antonio Rudiger’s gone on a free, Andreas Christensen’s going to go too, they’ve got Thiago Silva who’s outstanding, and they’ve got two kids in Malang Sarr and Trevoh Chalobah who are very talented, but it’s going to be hard to play them week-in, week-out.
“Rudiger will be a massive loss, I can’t express how big that’s going to be. If they played a four at the back, he wouldn’t be missed.”
Abramovich’s ‘anti-Glazer’ request
Roman Abramovich is demanding Chelsea’s new owners commit to not copying the Glazer Manchester United model, MARTIN LIPTON WRITES.
As part of the detailed discussions with the “preferred bidder” consortium headed by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly, Abramovich is insisting on stringent conditions.
The Russian’s appointed brokers, the US-based Raine Group, have told Boehly that he must promise not to pay out dividends or take any management fees for a decade after the completion of the deal.
That would prevent Boehly from echoing the approach of the Glazers since their 2005 United takeover – and which has sparked consistent and growing protests from fans.
Boehly, backed by US venture capital investors Clearlake, is closing in on his £4bn takeover despite the late bid by Britain’s richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos group.
But Boehly will have to agree to Abramovich’s conditions before final approval – including limits on future debt levels and a commitment to spending £1bn on Stamford Bridge, the academy and the club’s highly-successful women’s team.
On your Marc
Marcos Alonso reportedly wants to quit Chelsea this summer and return to Spain.
The Blues are already set to lose defenders Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen in June.
The duo have both snubbed new deals and will depart Stamford Bridge for nothing, with both Barcelona and Real Madrid keen on the pair.
Now left wing-back Alonso, 31, allegedly wants to leave West London also.
That is according to Fabrizio Romano, who claims the veteran has made securing an exit from Chelsea a priority.
He states that Barcelona are keen on Alonso, despite the fact that he came through the ranks at their fierce rivals Madrid, and that the star has his heart set on a return to his homeland.
Back in the Blues’ Palm
Chelsea will welcome Emerson Palmieri back from Lyon this summer.
Palmieri’s been on loan with the French side this season, but will head back to Stamford Bridge when the season ends, according to Fabrizio Romano.
But several clubs including Juventus are keeping tabs on the defender, it’s also claimed.
Declan Rice on future goals
Declan Rice has dropped a huge hint about his future after West Ham were dumped out of Europe.
Rice couldn’t help the Hammers get into the Europa League final.
But the England ace admitted that he still wants more in his career.
He said: “I am young, I want more. The lads want more. This club deserves more.
“We have shown as a club we can do these big European nights.”
Cesc pays Raiola respects
Ex-Chelsea star Cesc Fabregras was among the host of stars who came out to pay respects at Mino Raiola’s funeral.
Raiola, who had lived in the Principality for a number of years, died on Saturday following a battle with illness aged 54.
He initially spent time in hospital at the beginning of the year and underwent very delicate surgery in January.
His passing shocked the football world, and many of the players that he represented throughout his career travelled to Monaco to honour him at a private ceremony held for family and close friends at the Saint-Charles church.

Transfer restrictions frustrate Chelsea
Chelsea bigwigs were reportedly frustrated by the restrictions that have ruled them out of the race to sign Erling Haaland.
The Blues were said to be keen on signing the Borussia Dortmund star last summer but opted for Romelu Lukakau when the German side revealed they would be hanging on to Haaland for another season.
Chelsea hoped to swoop for the Norwegian again this time around but their plans have been halted by the restrictions, much to the club’s dismay, according to ESPN.
Chelsea deal nears completion
Todd Boehly could become Chelsea’s new owner TODAY, according to reports.
The Telegraph reported that Boehly hopes to sign the first contract worth £4 billion on Friday.
As Roman Abramovich preparing to seek formal approval from Government for the deal.
After that, it should be all-clear for the deal to be conducted swiftly and smoothly, it’s been claimed.
Mour tears from Jose
Jose Mourinho shed tears after leading Roma to their first European final for 31 years and confessed: “This club has made me feel special again.”
The Portuguese legend created history by becoming the first boss to make it to five major European finals with four different clubs.
And after Tammy Abraham’s header in the win over Leicester booked Roma’s place in the Europa Conference League Final in Tirana, an emotional Mourinho confessed:  “I shed a tear at the end, yes, because I feel what they all feel.
“My emotion was for everyone who loves this club. The fans, the players, the owners.
“This team spirit, we started building it in our summer camp in Portugal on the first day, and it’s built up since then, day after day – this game is icing on cake.
“This victory belongs to everyone – it’s a family win. Everyone played their part.”
Chelsea eye Rudiger/Christensen replacement
Chelsea are plotting a transfer move for RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol to help fill the void left by departing duo Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
The Premier League giants are desperate for reinforcements and have identified several targets.
And Goal claims that they have earmarked Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
The Croatian international, 20, is reportedly “seen as a good option to play on the left side of a back three” for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Good morning Chelsea fans
Departing Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has maintained he is NOT demanding the repayment of his £1.6billion loan to the club.
Abramovich insisted he has engaged with the UK government to discuss how the promised charity donation from the sale should be carried out.
Government sources hinted that the Russian oligarch had made a U-turn on his initial pledge and demanded the money that had kept the West Londoners going for the past 19 years was paid to a Jersey-based company as part of the sale deal.
The consortium led by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly is understood to be close to completing the final details of the package, despite the last-gasp bid by Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
But the entire process was seemingly imperilled by the claims that Abramovich was now demanding some financial compensation for being effectively forced to sell up after being branded an acolyte and supporter of Vladimir Putin and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Boehly is “very close” to taking over at Chelsea with Ratcliffe’s late rival bid allegedly “not under consideration”.
That is according to CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs, who claims the US-based bank Raine, who are handling the takeover process for Abramovich, are not exploring any other “alternative options”.
Jacobs tweeted: “Boehly-Clearlake takeover of Chelsea is now very close to completion. Raine sources tell me Wednesday talks were ‘highly productive and no alternative options are being explored’.
“Sources within Boehly-Clearlake say they’ve remained ‘calm’ and are confident they will own”
But Sir Jim has told the Raine Group not to brush off his offer to buy the club.
Ratcliffe wants the group to factor in that his company is British and want the best for the club.
Sir Jim said, reported by the BBC: “My message to Raine is don’t discount our offer.
“We are British and have great intentions for Chelsea. If I was Raine I wouldn’t close any door.”
Finally, West Ham are planning a move for Chelsea wonderkid Armando Broja this summer following his loan spell at Southampton, reports SunSport’s Jack Rosser.
No transfers can happen before the Blues’ ownership crisis is solved but, once resolved, SunSport understands that Saints could quickly try to tie up a deal with Broja.
That is if they are willing to offer the forward similar wages to team-mates Che Adams and Adam Armstrong.
But the Hammers are set to rival Southampton and could win the transfer war with the offer of European football.
Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund have also registered an interest in the Albania international.
West Ham boss David Moyes has made it clear he wants to add quality to his squad this summer as he is short of options in attack
Good morning Chelsea fans
Departing Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has maintained he is NOT demanding the repayment of his £1.6billion loan to the club.
Abramovich insisted he has engaged with the UK government to discuss how the promised charity donation from the sale should be carried out.
Government sources hinted that the Russian oligarch had made a U-turn on his initial pledge and demanded the money that had kept the West Londoners going for the past 19 years was paid to a Jersey-based company as part of the sale deal.
The consortium led by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly is understood to be close to completing the final details of the package, despite the last-gasp bid by Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
But the entire process was seemingly imperilled by the claims that Abramovich was now demanding some financial compensation for being effectively forced to sell up after being branded an acolyte and supporter of Vladimir Putin and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Boehly is “very close” to taking over at Chelsea with Ratcliffe’s late rival bid allegedly “not under consideration”.
That is according to CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs, who claims the US-based bank Raine, who are handling the takeover process for Abramovich, are not exploring any other “alternative options”.
Jacobs tweeted: “Boehly-Clearlake takeover of Chelsea is now very close to completion. Raine sources tell me Wednesday talks were ‘highly productive and no alternative options are being explored’.
“Sources within Boehly-Clearlake say they’ve remained ‘calm’ and are confident they will own”
But Sir Jim has told the Raine Group not to brush off his offer to buy the club.
Ratcliffe wants the group to factor in that his company is British and want the best for the club.
Sir Jim said, reported by the BBC: “My message to Raine is don’t discount our offer.
“We are British and have great intentions for Chelsea. If I was Raine I wouldn’t close any door.”
Finally, West Ham are planning a move for Chelsea wonderkid Armando Broja this summer following his loan spell at Southampton, reports SunSport’s Jack Rosser.
No transfers can happen before the Blues’ ownership crisis is solved but, once resolved, SunSport understands that Saints could quickly try to tie up a deal with Broja.
That is if they are willing to offer the forward similar wages to team-mates Che Adams and Adam Armstrong.
But the Hammers are set to rival Southampton and could win the transfer war with the offer of European football.
Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund have also registered an interest in the Albania international.
West Ham boss David Moyes has made it clear he wants to add quality to his squad this summer as he is short of options in attack
Push and Pul
Juventus are targeting Chelsea star Christian Pulisic ahead of the summer transfer window.
Pulisic has found game time difficult to come by this season, starting just ten league matches.
That means the forward may be open to moving with Juve keen to strike a deal, according to Tuttosport.
The Bianconeri reportedly view the USA international as a potential replacement for Paulo Dybala, who is set to leave on a free in the summer
Still a Lott to give
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti revealed that he will “probably retire” after his second spell at the Santiago Bernabeu ends.
But former Chelsea boss Ancelotti then immediately threw a curveball by saying he would happily spend another ten years at Real if the newly-crowned LaLiga champions want him to.
Ancelotti told Amazon Prime: “After this Real Madrid chapter, I will probably retire.
“But if Real wants me to stay here for 10 years, I’ll stay another 10 years.
“I would like to be with my grandchildren, to go on holiday with my wife. There are so many things to do that I’ve had to put aside.
“The national team in the future can be an option. Canada? Why not? I’d like it.
“There’s a lot of places I’ve never been to. I’ve never been to Australia. I’ve never been to Rio de Janeiro. I want to go visit my sister more often.
“Unfortunately you can’t do everything, so the day I retire, I’ll have all these things to do”
Chelsea Blue-min’ hell
Chelsea stars N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are about to enter the final year of their contracts.
SunSport’s Andy Dillon reports that the Blues are worried midfield pair will quit as the club’s takeover reaches crisis point.
Jorginho especially has voiced a desire to return to his homeland before retiring and team-mates fear he may go this summer to add to the domino effect in the dressing room.
Antonio Rudiger is set to join Real Madrid, while Andreas Christensen and captain Cesar Azpilicueta are likely to join Barcelona as their deals are expiring in June
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
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SIR JIM RATCLIFFE is not giving up on his Chelsea bid without a fight and has begged the club to consider his offer.The British petrochemicals mogul, 69, has vowed to improve Stamford Bridge as it exists rather than build a new stadium as Roman Abramovich had planned to.
Boehly has reportedly been named as the preferred bidder for Chelsea despite a last-gasp £4billion bid from Ratcliffe.
And Boehly’s team were told they had been granted a “period of exclusivity” to discuss the final terms and conditions of a takeover package.
However Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich is reportedly “attempting to renege on his promise to write off a £1.6 billion debt”.
This is despite the 55-year-old saying he would NOT be asking for any loans to be repaid when he put the club up for sale.
Which could see any future deal between Boehly and the West London outfit fall through.
Or in a worst case scenario, Chelsea could LOSE their Premier League status.
Meanwhile, Blues boss Thomas Tuchel has claimed that Chelsea are stronger without Lukaku and is ‘open’ to selling the Belgian this summer.
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Todd Boehly takeover reminder
Los Angeles Dodgers owner Todd Boehly is “very close” to taking over at Chelsea with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s late rival bid allegedly “not under consideration”.
That is according to CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs,  who claims the US-based bank Raine, who are handling the takeover for departing owner Roman Abramovich, are not exploring any other “alternative options”.
Jacobs tweeted: “Boehly-Clearlake takeover of Chelsea is now very close to completion. Raine sources tell me Wednesday talks were ‘highly productive and no alternative options are being explored’.
“Sources within Boehly-Clearlake say they’ve remained ‘calm’ and are confident they will own”
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Man of the Match
Mason Mount has been Chelsea’s best performer this season, stats have revealed.
The England star has received six Man of the Match awards, according to Who’s Scored.
Behind Mount is Hakim Ziyech, Jorginho, and Reece James, who all have won the prize three times, the report added.
Emerson Palmieri Chelsea return
Emerson Palmieri will return to Chelsea this summer.
The defender is on loan at Lyon but is set to jet back to London when the season ends.
But his return to Stamford Bridge will be fleeting as Juventus are keen to sign him, according to TuttoSport.
Tuchel ‘open to Lukaku sale’
Thomas Tuchel reckons Chelsea are stronger without Romelu Lukaku in the side.
The Blues are a more ‘potent force’ when Lukaku’s on the bench, according to ESPN.
Which is why Tuchel’s open to offloading the Belgium international to spend the money on other areas that need strengthening, the report also claims.
Dybala mobbed by Juve pleas
Chelsea transfer target Paulo Dybala has been urged not to join Inter Milan by Juventus fans.
Dybala was signing autographs ahead of Juve training when fans bombarded him with pleas of: “Please don’t join Inter,” and, “Why are you going to Inter?,” Football Italia reported.
The hot-shot striker simply smiled but didn’t respond to the demands of the Juve supporters.
Hak some of that
Chelsea have been dealt a huge blow in their pursuit of PSG ace Achraf Hakimi.
The Blues have been tracking the right-back for a while.
But he’s got no intentions of leaving PSG anytime soon, according to his agent Alexandro Camano.
Camano said, via Fabrizio Romano: “He’s happy there, we have 4 years left on our contract with PSG.
“Achraf’s young and wants to continue growing at Paris Saint Germain.”
Chelsea issued top-four warning
Chelsea could lose their spot in the league to Arsenal.
Chelsea are in third at the moment, but Gunners legend Michael Thomas reckons his former club can pip the Blues for the position.
He said to CaughtOffside: “Chelsea are in a tough position because they had third wrapped up for so long that they took got too relaxed and now it’s looking very open again.
“I do think they will still qualify for the Champions League, but as you can see, it can quite easily change at any game week.
“As for Arsenal, they should just be looking to win all their remaining games and see where that leaves them.”
Chelsea’s European might claims
Chelsea have been named as one of the six clubs stronger than Juventus in Europe.
That’s the opinion of Juve boss Max Allegri.
Allegri told Football Italia: “Juventus have reached the Final twice in the last 10 years.
“Of course, we have changed a lot and we can’t always obtain the same results.
“I’ve said it many times. Six teams are much stronger than others: Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.”
Boehly close to Chelsea takeover 
Todd Boehly’s Chelsea takeover is reportedly “close” with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s late rival bid allegedly “not under consideration”.
CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs has offered a fresh update on Twitter – and it looks to be good news for the Stamford Bridge faithful.
He wrote: “Boehly-Clearlake takeover of Chelsea is now very close to completion. Raine sources tell me Wednesday talks were ‘highly productive and no alternative options are being explored’.
“Sources within Boehly-Clearlake say they’ve remained ‘calm’ and are confident they will own #CFC.”
Havertz and Liverpool clash explained
Liverpool star Harvey Elliot has opened up on his square-up with Kai Havertz in the Carabao Cup final.
He said to Soccerbible about the incident: “To see Trent and Havertz square up… you’ve just got to back your teammates at the end of the day. You’re there and you fight with them.
“That thing with Havertz was just the heat of the moment; emotions were high for both teams as we both wanted to win.
“Then obviously the penalty shootout came and that’s when you let it all out.”
Merson on Chelsea ownership
Chelsea’s ownership situation needs to be resolved so the club can move on, according to Paul Merson.
Merson told Sky Sports: “They’ve [Chelsea] got to sell the club before they do anything else. Until they sell the club, they can’t bring anyone in.
“If you went and bought a house for £300,000 tomorrow it would take three months, now we’re talking about £4bn. It’s not going to be done quickly – it’s worrying really.
“It needs to be done before the end of the season or they’re in danger of getting left behind.
“They’ve got to bring players in, they’re behind Man City and Liverpool, we’ve seen that. They’ll want to bring players in and offload players.”
Chelsea ownership plans
Jim Ratcliffe claims owning Chelsea isn’t about making money – but to put the club on par with Europe’s finest.
He added in his chat with the BBC: “We’re not interested in making money out of Chelsea. The investment in Chelsea is a long-term thing.
“Can we run that club really well and turn it into one of the finest clubs in Europe?
“I don’t think it has consistently been where you would put a Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich.
“It is a notch below Liverpool and Manchester City. It is about consistency.”
Ratcliffe makes Boehly claim
Jim Ratcliffe has tore rival Todd Boehly’s business plan to shreds.
Ratfcliffe has emerged as a late opponent to Boehly’s bid to buy Chelsea, and the Brit has claimed to have found holes in the LA Dodgers owner’s stratergy.
Ratcliffe explained to the BBC: “I spent quite a few years in the world of venture capital and private equity, which is where I partly learned my trade of buying businesses.
“It’s a simple business: you persuade a pension fund or an insurance company to give you money, which you manage with the intention of increasing in value, and if you do that you get a share of the profits.
“So your focus is always on, ‘How do I make that money grow?’, and it’s typically a five-year time horizon — and their [Boehly’s] main funder is private equity and venture capital.
“In America, the big sports clubs won’t allow those people to come in and buy the clubs, but in the UK you can.”
Court we can do it
Ex-Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois reckons Real Madrid’s schedule could give them the edge against Liverpool in the Champions League final.
Real stopper Courtois told beIN Sports: ““Liverpool are playing really amazingly this season, so it will be a really hard game.
“The only good thing for us is that we aren’t playing anymore for anything, we can rest really well for that game, whereas they are playing for the Premier League, so for them it will be a bit harder.
“But we just need to keep training well and do our best and hopefully win it.”
Broja transfer race heats up
West Ham are planning a move for Chelsea striker Armando Broja this summer following his loan spell at Southampton, JACK ROSSER WRITES.
The Saints also discussed a permanent deal in January – but pushed any move until the summer before sanctions put a stop on any Chelsea sales.
No transfers can happen before Chelsea’s ownership crisis is solved but, once resolved, SunSport understands that Saints could quickly tie up a deal if they are willing to offer Broja similar wages to teammates Che Adams and Adam Armstrong.
But the Hammers are set to rival Southampton and could win the tussle with the offer of European football. Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund have also registered an interest in the past.
Agbonlahor’s Champions League support shock
Gabby Agbonlahor spoke of his shock after witnessing English fans celebrating Man City’s Champions League demise against Real Madrid.
And Chelsea supporters were among the culprits, Agbonlahor revealed.
The retired striker said on talkSPORT: “Whenever Real Madrid scored, 99 percent of the bar, there could have been about 1000 people in the bar, jumping up and celebrating for Real Madrid which baffles me.
“I spoke to a couple of them around me who said to me ‘why are you not celebrating?’ and I said ‘I’m supporting the English team’.
“There were a few Man United fans, Chelsea, other teams, but it really disappointed me, strange because you want to support the English teams and get an all English final, it was strange for me to see that.”
Hazard could bring Chelsea cash
Chelsea will be hoping Real Madrid can topple Liverpool in the Champions League final and net themselves a tidy windfall.
However, they won’t be the only ones celebrating if they overcome Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.
Chelsea will be laughing too thanks to a clause in Eden Hazard’s transfer deal from back in 2019.
The Blues accepted an £88.5million offer from Los Blancos for the winger – with the deal having significant extra payments that could take the full price to a massive £130MILLION.
And one of those included an extra cash windfall should Madrid taste Champions League success while Hazard is at the club.
Chelsea have already benefited in the past, scooping nearly £20m in 2020 as Madrid claimed the LaLiga title and qualified for the Champions League.
Tchou and go
Chelsea are one of the clubs being linked with Aurelien Tchouameni this summer.
And the Blues’ pursuit has been given a boost as Tchouameni is heading for the Monaco exit when the season wraps up, according to RMC Sport.
But the Blues will also have to contend with competition from Champions League finalist Real Madrid and Liverpool.
‘Rudiger will be a huge loss’
Paul Merson claims Antonio Rudiger will be a huge loss for Chelsea whilst comparing the German to former Blues centre-back David Luiz.
Merson said: “Rudiger will be a massive loss, I can’t express how big that’s going to be.
“If they played a four at the back, he wouldn’t be missed.
“He can only go and play somewhere in a three, for me, he reminds me of a David Luiz – he’ll go and chase the ball, close down, go out of position – but in a three he can go and take that chance.”
All hail king Cesar
Petr Cech has hailed Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta as ‘captain material.’
Cech told Chelsea’s media: “When it comes to captain material, there is something in the player, and with experience, it comes out.
“One thing that has always struck me about Azpi is that he is an honest player, he goes on the pitch and does his best, no matter what.
“He plays with the right commitment, with the right attitude, with his full heart. This is what makes him consistent.
“He is a very good trainer. He prepares the same way as he plays, and that’s the key to his level of performance. You know what you get.
“He might occasionally make a mistake like everybody does, he might not always have a spectacular game, but you always know you will get a high level of performance from him.
“This is what is precious.”
Lukaku tipped for Chelsea stay
Paul Merson reckons Chelsea have no choice but to keep hold of disgruntled striker Romelu Lukaku due to their financial woes.
The Blues spent £97.5m on the Belgian but Merson fears they’ll struggle to recoup half of his fee.
Merson told Sky Sports: “Chelsea haven’t got much choice but to keep going with Romelu Lukaku.
“They’re getting sold, they haven’t got any money, they can’t be buying people for £100m and selling them for half that.”
Wannabe Chelsea owner’s plea
Wannabe Chelsea owner Jim Ratcliffe has told the Raine Group not to brush off his offer to buy the club.
Raine are handling the sale of the Blues, and Ratcliffe wants the group to factor in that his company is British and want the best for the club.
He said, reported by the BBC: “My message to Raine is don’t discount our offer.
“We are British and have great intentions for Chelsea. If I was Raine I wouldn’t close any door.”
Declan Rice’s Europa League vow
Chelsea transfer target Declan Rice has vowed to give everything for West Ham in the Europa League final.
Rice told West Ham’s media: “Our mood is fantastic and it has been all season.
“Our mood hasn’t dropped, we’ve been really positive and really confident. We’re obviously one goal down in the tie but, for us, we’re positive.
“We lost the first game to Sevilla and the first game against Lyon was only a draw, so I feel like you’ll see the best of us in the second game, one hundred percent.
“I don’t know [why we have played well in the second legs], but I always feel like in the first games you’re always looking at the opposition and sizing them up.
“We had plenty of opportunities to score in the first game, their ‘keeper made some fantastic saves and we hit the woodwork loads of times, so we’re going to come here, really attack and try and get the job done.”
Chelsea stars want contract discussions
Several Chelsea stars have been waiting for months to discuss new contracts with the clubs.
That’s the claims made by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano who also reckons Mason Mount wants to stay at Stamford Bridge despite links to Liverpool.
Romano told CaughtOffside: “There’s been some speculation about Mason Mount’s situation at Chelsea, but I don’t think Blues fans have too much to worry about, despite the uncertainty surrounding the club ownership.
“Mason Mount’s priority has always been to stay at Chelsea. There are no doubts about his commitment, but certainly his situation is to be monitored like those of Marcos Alonso, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante.
“In fact, all these players have been waiting for months to discuss the extension of the contract with Chelsea but there have been no changes; the sanctions have slowed down the contract renewal process.”
Jim Ratcliffe’s plans for Chelsea stadium
As part of Ratcliffe’s bid, Ineos pledged the £2.5bn asking price for Abramovich’s stake, with a further £1.75bn investment in the club over the next decade.
Ratcliffe envisages a staged revamp of Stamford Bridge into a potential 60,000-plus capacity stadium, rather than knocking the ground down.
Ineos believe the bid represents the best deal for Chelsea. And Ratcliffe pledged to continue what Russian oligarch Abramovich has done in terms of investment.
Asked why his offer was late, he told the BBC: “That is simple — it is a big decision to buy a national asset and big commitment in terms of time and money.
“We’re there for the long term and that’s a lot of responsibility to take on.
“It takes time to reach a decision to be fully committed. We got there at the end of the day and are committed. We’re not giving up.”
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