Chelsea transfer news

CHELSEA could embark on ANOTHER huge spending spree in the summer after sacking Graham Potter. Potter was sacked after the club dropped into the bottom half of the table following a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa, and the move could see Julian Nagelsmann appointed as his successor.
Julian Nagelsmann is a managerial target for ChelseaCredit: Getty
A look at how Chelsea may line-up under Nagelsmann
The German was surprisingly sacked by Bayern Munich over the international break, with ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel replacing him.
Nagelsmann remains one of the most sought-after coaches in European football despite parting ways with Bayern, meaning Chelsea need to put their neck out to ensure they land him.
This could come in the form of transfer promises, to which Nagelsmann may point to a number of stars he is familiar with.
RB Leipzig star Christopher Nkunku is said to be “signed and sealed” as a Chelsea player following a medical in September.
READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
Nagelsmann may also green-light a raid for Josko Gvardiol, one of the Blues’ main targets last summer.
Firepower is also a huge issue for Chelsea, and ex-Arsenal star Serge Gnabry may be a perfect remedy.
The German has found his place to be on the bench for much of the season, and with discussions over a contract extension said to be “getting complicated”, a transfer may be on the cards.
Alternatively, a familiar face may fancy some redemption at Stamford Bridge.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
An alternative look at Chelsea under Nagelsmann
Timo Werner left the Blues last summer after two frustrating but successful years.
The attacker was known for being crucial in Chelsea’s style of play but was often the culprit of lacklustre finishing or numerous offside calls.
Should Nagelsmann want to bring in another forward, Werner could prove both an effective and popular choice.
Another area the Blues will need recruits in is midfield.
Enzo Fernandez was brought in for an English record of £107million, and while he has impressed, midfield partner Mateo Kovacic could be sold amid interest from Manchester City.
N’Golo Kante’s injury issues mean he is no Mr. Reliable for Chelsea either, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Conor Gallagher are not the standard of player the club need to win the big trophies.
This is where Bayern star Leon Goretzka comes in.
The 28-year-old is a star of the Bavarians and would be the most difficult to sign out of any of the stars mentioned.
However, with reports suggesting Manchester United loanee Marcel Sabizter may have a future in Munich under Tuchel, this may open a pathway for Chelsea to sign Goretzka.
Read More on The Sun
Chelsea had a previous interest in signing him while he was still at Schalke, but ultimately failed as Bayern beat them to the punch in 2018.
A face familiar to the Premier League in the form of Illan Meslier may also be brought in to upgrade the goalkeeper situation. More

SO much for the long term. So much for Project Potter.The first manager appointed by Chelsea’s new ownership with a supposed new vision has been sacked after less than six months.
Graham Potter was sacked by Chelsea on SundayCredit: Rex
It came despite a promise of patienceCredit: Alamy
In fact, Graham Potter becomes their shortest-serving permanent coach in the Premier League era.
And chairman Todd Boehly and his sidekick Behdad Eghbali have learnt their most painful lesson about this particular club — and English football as a whole — very early on.
On the day Queen Elizabeth II died last September, the two Americans prised Potter away from Brighton with a £50million, five-year contract.
There was also the promise of patience. To anyone with any knowledge of Chelsea, that is a concept more alien than Martians landing on the Stamford Bridge pitch itself.
READ MORE ON CHELSEA
But it was all about slow burning, gradual building they insisted. Taking the best bits from other Premier League clubs bit by bit and ultimately moulding Chelsea into a global giant of the game.
Plans to buy up foreign clubs — as Manchester City have done — was only part of the more philosophical idea.
Arsenal’s masterplan of giving their bright, young head coach Mikel Arteta the stress-free environment in which to slowly plot a mountain hike up to the summit of the game was right up their street.
Results were important but not the be-all and end-all. Even failing to finish in the top four this season — traditionally the minimum requirement at Stamford Bridge — was not a deal breaker.
Most read in Football
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
The usual demand for a major trophy every season, the intense pressure of constantly sleeping with a suitcase by your bed in readiness for the axe was a thing of the past.
But after barely half a year, Potter is gone because of a “lack of progress”.
That may be the four wins in the last 13 games or the fact that some of the new signings made during the near £300m spend in the last transfer window have yet to shine. It probably relates to both.
The players were in for training yesterday. A session for those who swerved the embarrassment of Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat by Aston Villa. Recovery for those who played.
The entire squad left for home none the wiser and were under the impression that Potter was still the man for the job in the eyes of Boehly and Eghbali and would be in charge for tomorrow’s game against Liverpool.
Yet behind the scenes the knives were being sharpened.
And it was Potter’s supposed pal Paul Winstanley who was one the architects of the manager’s downfall.
The head of global talent and transfers, along with technical director Laurence Stewart, recommended the change to the board of directors, citing their belief that the hugely expensive squad was going nowhere.
That the new signings, many of them foreign and you would assume brought in by Winstanley and his team at vast expense, were not getting any better so something had to give.
Eghbali took the well-trodden path to Chelsea’s lavish Surrey training ground once it was quiet and did the dirty deed, like so many of his predecessors under the previous regime of Roman Abramovich — who now looks like a gullible, loved-up Sugar Daddy compared to the new guys.
It does not need a genius to realise Potter was struggling — results, odd team selections, tactics and a general sense of confusion were the overriding themes, easily overshadowing the odd bright spot.
Playing senior players like winger Raheem Sterling as a right wing-back, banishing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — the only out-and-out and fit striker on the books — from the matchday squad and sticking with Kai Havertz up front were three glaring examples of his peculiar methodology.
Graham Potter has Chelsea’s joint-worst Premier League record
Only last Saturday, when Chelsea were crying out for an attacking edge against Villa, he kept Mason Mount on the bench as the cries of “You don’t know what you’re doing” rang in his ears.
Yet the constant drumbeat from within the walls of Stamford Bridge over time was that Potter could not have been more popular with his dream bosses, happy to spend almost £600m on 14 new players over the last two windows without getting any bang for their buck.
It would all come good in the long term and Chelsea would slowly emerge from the chasing pack behind Arsenal and Man City to once again reign supreme in a glittering new dynasty that would last for years.
Long-term contracts for players, a manager with the confidence of job security, a club on a steady treadmill to triumph.
Read More on The Sun
There were many who suspected Boehly, Eghbali and their pals from Clearlake Capital were taking one helluva risk with this strategy at a club where the supporters have been brought up on regular trips to Wembley and beyond in search of silverware — and often finding it.
The Yankee hedge-fund schemers are now more than £5billion and one manager down and sit 11th in the Premier League with a massive squad of players who are no better now than when Potter arrived. More

CHELSEA players are said to have been STUNNED by the news of Graham Potter’s sacking – and only found out online. Potter was fired just six months after taking over from Champions League winner Thomas Tuchel.
Chelsea players are said to have been stunned by the news of Graham Potter’s sackingCredit: Alamy
But following a dire run of performances and results, he was axed as Blues boss with the club sat in 11th place.
According to The Telegraph, worried players contacted their representatives on Sunday night after finding out the news.
It is claimed the squad only found out about Potter’s departure through the official statement that was released at around 8pm.
Those who had been part of the defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday had a recovery session on Sunday while the others trained as normal.
READ MORE ON CHELSEA
But the majority of the squad were given no prior notice of Potter’s sacking and returned home to find out via social media.
One source told the paper: “Most of the players had no idea until they saw the statement.
“People were asking who would be taking training on Monday and who is in charge for Tuesday.
“Virtually all of them were in recovery or training on Sunday, so they were shocked to find this out at home.”
Most read in Football
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
Potter was due to conduct his pre-match press duties on Monday ahead of the Liverpool game.
But by 3pm the club had started the process of removing him following internal talks between Stamford Bridge bosses.
It is understood Chelsea will not have to pay the full value of Potter’s £50m contract, which had four years left to run.
Defeat to Villa – Potter’s SEVENTH of the season – pushed Chelsea into the bottom half of the table.
And it proved to be the nail in the coffin for the club’s owners, who had witnessed the game from the stands.
Sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley are believed to have made the decision to sack Potter.
And they were given the full support of co-controlling owners Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.
Stewart and Winstanley – backed by Boehly and Eghbali – will now lead the process to find Potter’s permanent replacement.
Julian Nagelsmann is among the favourites following his shock sacking at Bayern Munich, where Tuchel succeeded him.
But Mauricio Pochettino – who was interviewed for the job last year before Potter was hired – is also in the mix.
The Chelsea board have a relationship with Nagelsmann’s agent, as he also represents Timo Werner, who was sold back to RB Leipzig last summer.
Read More on The Sun
Sporting director Stewart and technical director Christopher Vivell also worked with Nagelsmann at Leipzig.
Bruno Saltor – a member of Potter’s coaching staff – has taken interim charge while Chelsea look for a permanent successor.
Chelsea sacked manager Graham PotterCredit: Reuters More

CHELSEA are in no rush to appoint a new manager.Julian Nagelsmann is the early favourite for the Stamford Bridge hotseat after the Blues sacked Graham Potter on Sunday.
Chelsea sacked Graham Potter on Sunday after they slipped to 11th in the Premier LeagueCredit: Reuters
Bruno Saltor has been named as interim manager of the BluesCredit: Getty
But SunSport understands owner Todd Boehly is preparing for a long and thorough search for a new boss after seeing his first appointment flop inside seven months.
The Blues sacked Graham Potter after just seven months in charge and £330million spent in the January transfer window on Sunday.
Potter was hired on a five-year deal worth £12m-a-year after Champions League-winning manager Thomas Tuchel was axed following a poor start to the season.
Chelsea backed the former Brighton boss with £330million in the January transfer window, taking their spend this season above £600m.
READ MORE ON CHELSEA
However, Potter has been unable to turn the club’s Chelsea’s fortunes around with the Blues sliding to 11th in the top-flight after their 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Bruno Saltor will take charge of the West Londoners until a permanent successor for Potter is appointed.
And it is understood Bruno could stay in charge as interim head coach for the rest of the campaign.
Boehly and the rest of Chelsea’s top brass have accepted that they are unlikely to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top four finish – although they are preparing to face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals next week.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
Therefore they are prepared to wait and launch an extensive search for a new man to take charge and lead them long-term.
German coach Nagelsmann, who was surprisingly sacked by Bayern Munich last month and replaced by Tuchel, is the early bookies favourite for the job.
The 35-year-old arrived at Bayern from RB Leipzig in 2021 and won the league by eight points in his first season in charge as well as leading them to back-to-back German Supercup wins.
Reports have also claimed that new Chelsea technical director Christian Vivell is “pushing” for him to take charge.
Former Spurs and PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino is another favourite with the bookies and remains a free agent having been sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in June 2022 despite leading them to the French title.
Other candidates include former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, former Spain manager Luis Enrique, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Oliver Glasner, and even two-time former Blues boss Jose Mourinho, who is now at Roma.
Potter, 47, leaves Chelsea with the WORST record of any Blues manager in the Premier League era, being dismissed after a horror run.
The former Brighton boss leaves Stamford Bridge with the worst points-per-game record of Blues bosses who have managed more than 20 games – picking up an average of 1.27 points per game.
Potter won seven of his 22 league matches in charge of the club, drew seven and lost eight.
That translated to the Blues collecting a mere 28 points from an available 66.
Read More on The Sun
Potter was in charge of Chelsea for a total of 31 games, in which he won 12, drew eight and lost eleven matches.
That dismal record equated to an average of 1.42 points per match for the five-time Premier League winners.
Julian Nagelsmann has been linked with the jobCredit: Getty
Todd Boehly is prepared to wait before appointing a new managerCredit: Rex More