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      Chelsea CAN still make top four and here’s how says former star – who insists Graham Potter MUST stay

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      CHELSEA can still finish in the Premier League top four if they beat the teams that are above them, claims club legend Gus Poyet.The Blues are 10th in the table with a game in hand and 11 points separating them from fourth-placed Tottenham amid a turbulent season.
      Gus Poyet claims Chelsea can finish in the top four if they beat the teams that are above themCredit: Getty
      Gus Poyet insists Chelsea manager Graham Potter is the right man for the teamCredit: Getty
      Poyet admits Champions League qualification is “difficult” for his former team because it doesn’t only depend on the results they get until May.
      The Greece manager insists a lot will also go down to how the West Londoners’ rivals fare in the top flight, which is why Graham Potter’s side must win as many games as possible.
      The 55-year-old head coach is also adamant Chelsea will have to beat Brentford, Brighton, Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal to raise their hopes.
      Poyet told SunSport: “I think it’s difficult. But not difficult because of Chelsea, it’s because of the teams that are above Chelsea. They can do the same.
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      “I always say that it’s not only about you. When you’re up against someone next to you and you have to play against them you can say maybe it depends on us. But here, there’s too many teams ahead of Chelsea.
      “I think it’s difficult, it’s not impossible but practically they need to win every game and 100 per cent they need win against the teams that are above them. Non-negotiable.
      “The problem now is that they are in the Champions League. And the players’ mentality says, ‘We are there, who knows?’ So it’s something as well that can push one way or the other.”
      Potter has come under fire this season after losing 10 out of 28 matches, of which he has only won 11, across all competitions.
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      But Poyet has no doubt the former Brighton boss deserves more time and is the right man to lead the Premier League giants next season.
      The Uruguayan tactician is a “very big fan” of Potter and is impressed with how well he has handled the “tremendous” pressure after a recent poor run on the hot seat.
      However, the ex-midfielder admits the Chelsea boss will have to forget about the future and concentrate on the present, which has been the club’s priority since the Roman Abramovich era.
      Poyet said when asked if Potter deserves another season at Chelsea: “Yes, without a doubt. I’m a very big fan of Graham Potter.
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      “When he went to the club he knew exactly what he wanted to do, then the situation put him in a totally unexpected place in January with the new players arriving, the quantity of players he needs to coach every day, [and] not being able to pick the best team.
      “The consequences was not winning games and the pressure he’s had is tremendous. Every day was only about Graham Potter, and you need to live with that. And you need at those times the players to stand up. And they did.
      “And I’m sure today the feeling is totally different. But this is not going to stop if you don’t continue to perform. Yes, I want Graham Potter to do well. Yes, I think the young players that arrived in January they are a big part of the future. But Chelsea is today. No one at Chelsea thinks about next season.
      “Everybody is thinking what are we going to do at the weekend. Because that’s the way Abramovich and [Jose] Mourinho, [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Antonio] Conte convinced the fans what Chelsea are about. About winning trophies and winning every single game.”
      Chelsea picked up a comfortable 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals.
      Potter only started two out of the eight players he signed during a busy January transfer window that cost over £300million – those were Joao Felix and Prem record signing Enzo Fernandez.
      Poyet suggested the 47-year-old understands it is his more experienced players, rather than the most recent signings, that can push Chelsea back in the top four.
      Poyet added: “I think it was their best performance of the season or one of their best without any doubt. The desire, the togetherness, the way everybody put an extra effort on the game shows that it’s possible. We think about the starting XI, there was practically no new January players.
      “It’s the old group of the beginning of the season, which shows that Graham made a strong decision and said, ‘Okay I know the new players are good, I know the new players are the future of the club. But right now, I need the players that have the most experience’.
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      “So there was not that kind of mix of the experienced ones with the new ones that arrived in January. In this game they had to wait. Because sometimes – and I think Chelsea are one of these teams – it’s about today, it’s not about two years’ time.”
      Gus Poyet was speaking to The Sun on behalf of Neuecasinos24.com.
      Chelsea have been undergoing a turbulent season across all competitionsCredit: Alamy More

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      Mason Mount’s price tag revealed as Man Utd join Liverpool and City in transfer race for Chelsea star

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      MANCHESTER UNITED, Liverpool and Manchester City have learned how much Chelsea will demand for Mason Mount.SunSport revealed on Thursday that Erik ten Hag’s men have joined the race to sign the England international, 24.
      Mason Mount could leave Stamford Bridge in the summerCredit: Getty
      It comes amid a contract stand-off between Mount and the Blues.
      His existing deal is set to expire at the end of the 2023/24 season and stalling negotiations are expected to leave the club with a decision to make.
      Mount is understood to be after a significant pay rise from his current wages of around £80,000 per week.
      And he is reluctant to sign a huge long-term deal like compatriot Reece James.
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      Chelsea’s influx of players has also left Mount pushed down the pecking order.
      He has started just one of their last four Premier League games.
      And while it remains to be seen whether he will stay or go, rival English clubs have been put on alert by reports of a £50MILLION price tag.
      Man Utd are understood to be in for Mount after recognising they are not at the front of the queue when it comes to the pursuit of Jude Bellingham.
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      Real Madrid and Liverpool are thought to be the frontrunners to sign the Borussia Dortmund midfielder.
      Mount, who has contributed three goals and six assists this season, has emerged as an ideal fit for Ten Hag’s side.

      Man Utd are targeting a number of high-profile players in the summer, the biggest of which is Tottenham talisman Harry Kane.
      But in order to sign several new stars, Ten Hag is also required to offload unwanted individuals.
      They are set to include captain Harry Maguire, forward Anthony Martial and midfielder Scott McTominay. More

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      Tottenham facing battle to persuade Thomas Tuchel to become new manager – despite ex-Chelsea boss being Spurs fan

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      TOTTENHAM are facing a battle to persuade Thomas Tuchel to be their new manager.Ex-Chelsea boss Tuchel and former Spurs chief Mauricio Pochettino are the top candidates to succeed Antonio Conte.
      Ex-PSG and Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says he was a Tottenham Hotspur fan as a kid because of their ‘adventurous’ nameCredit: Getty
      Mauricio Pochettino is rated the main rival to Tuchel for the Spurs job and his return wold be popular with supportersCredit: Getty
      It is now a matter of when, not if, Conte departs after a week from hell in which  the club crashed out of both the FA Cup and Champions League.
      His deal expires in the summer and Spurs will NOT extend it.
      Chairman Daniel Levy is understood to have reservations about bringing back fans’ favourite Pochettino.
      But if he plumps for Tuchel, he needs to convince the German coach he can give him the tools to make Tottenham serious trophy challengers.
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      Conte, 53, admitted he feared the sack after Wednesday’s Champions League KO to AC Milan.
      Spurs have no immediate plans to get rid of the Italian, who has just recovered from emergency gallbladder surgery.
      But the board could change tack if they feel Tottenham’s chances of finishing in the top four are under threat.
      Tuchel, 49, has been a free agent since his shock Stamford Bridge axing by Chelsea’s billionaire owner Todd Boehly in September.
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      The ex-Borussia Dortmund boss insists he was a Spurs fan growing up and was fascinated by their “adventurous” Tottenham Hotspur name.
      He is thought to be keen on a return to England.
      But having managed Paris Saint-Germain to a Champions League final in 2020, before winning the competition a year later with Chelsea, Tuchel has been waiting for a vacancy at an elite club.
      However, some fans may object to the prospect of a FIFTH ex-Blues boss being hired by Levy, who has previously appointed Glenn Hoddle, Andre Villas-Boas, Jose Mourinho and Conte.
      A return for Poch would be a crowd-pleaser, given how loved he was   in five years in charge of Spurs.
      The Argentine took them to the 2019 Champions League final and his name was chanted by supporters during Wednesday’s 0-0 last-16 second leg draw with Milan, which sent the Italian giants through 1-0 on aggregate.
      Others in the frame for Conte’s job include ex- Spain and Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, Brighton chief Roberto De Zerbi  and Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner.
      The situation is further complicated by the club awaiting the fate of director of football Fabio Paratici, who has a big say  on managerial appointments.
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      Paratici is set to discover within a month if his appeal against  a 2½-year ban from Italian  football is successful.
      If not, the suspension for his part in alleged financial irregularities at former club Juventus could be extended worldwide, in which case his role at Spurs would surely become untenable.
      Even if Antonio Conte survives until the summer, Spurs will not extend his dealCredit: Rex More

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      Callum Hudson-Odoi’s Chelsea career ‘is OVER’ with winger set to be in limbo after Bayer Leverkusen loan transfer

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      CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI’S Chelsea is career is reportedly at an end.And there’s no future for him at loan side Bayer Leverkusen either.
      Callum Hudson-Odoi is set to be sold by Chelsea this summerCredit: Getty
      Sky Sports Germany claims Hudson-Odoi faces a “bleak future” after failing to make an impression in the Bundesliga.
      Despite initially looking like a bright prospect, the winger has fallen out of Xabi Alonso’s plans.
      He has just one strike in all competitions for Leverkusen.
      And club chiefs have no intention of making Hudson-Odoi’s stay permanent come the summer.
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      It means the forward will return to Stamford Bridge where he faces huge competition for a place.
      But it’s reckoned Hudson-Odoi, linked with Arsenal, is out of Graham Potter’s plans too.
      There are numerous stars competing for attacking places at Chelsea.
      And there could be even more joining this summer alongside RB Leizpig’s Christopher Nkunku.
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      Hudson-Odoi’s Blues deal expires in 2024.
      And Todd Boehly is reportedly planning to cash in as soon as possible.
      It will bring a swift end to Hudson-Odoi’s Chelsea career, having burst onto the scene in the 2017/18 season.
      The three-time England international became a regular starter a year later under Maurizio Sarri.
      And Chelsea were forced to hand him a lucrative contract to ward off interest from Bayern Munich.
      But despite playing 72 times in total for Chelsea, Hudson-Odoi has ended up with just four league goals.
      And with Potter looking to reinvigorate his attack, Hudson-Odoi is no longer needed. More

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      Chelsea fan group warns Todd Boehly he risks ‘irreversible toxicity’ if he goes through with controversial plan

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      CHELSEA fans have warned the club they risk a fan revolt if they put up ticket prices.Tuesday night’s Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund eased the pressure on boss Graham Potter and his expensively-assembled squad – for now at least.
      Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has come under fire for plans to raise pricesCredit: Getty
      But the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust has told chairman Todd Boehly in an open letter: “The men’s 1st team is currently having one of the worst seasons since the 1990s.
      “We strongly urge the board to read the sentiment of supporters. 
      “The current disconnect between the team and supporters would only be amplified by increased prices – this could lead to irreversible toxicity.”
      The CST also argues that increasing season ticket prices during a cost of living crisis is “unconscionable and in direct contradiction to CFC’s efforts to strengthen community ties and strengthen supporter relations”.
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      The letter adds that a rise in the cost of attending home games would have a negative impact on the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge by pricing out some of the most passionate fans.
      It concludes: “The cost-of-living crisis, ambitious commercial targets, increased expenditure on players & management, alongside a ticket price increase during poor performances could cause the ‘perfect storm’ and force many Chelsea supporters away from Stamford Bridge.”
      The new Chelsea regime froze most ticket prices days after their takeover, but imposed steep hikes in the cost of watching games from the poshest seats in the West Stand.
      A season ticket for seats near the halfway line on that side of the ground is now an eye-watering £3,900, with less impressive views coming at £2,900 and £2,250.
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      The most expensive season ticket elsewhere at Stamford Bridge for individual adults is £940 in the West Upper, while the cheapest, in Matthew Harding Lower and The Shed Lower, is £750.
      Those prices have not changed for the best part of a decade.
      But the CST says it has “already been approached by a large number of members expressing their concerns over ticket prices and their anxieties over funding”. More

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      Man Utd line up Mason Mount transfer with Chelsea star available for free as Red Devils lag behind in Bellingham race

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are considering a move for Chelsea’s Mason Mount this summer as an alternative to Jude Bellingham.The Red Devils have weighed up a move for Borussia Dortmund star Bellingham, 19, but with Real Madrid and Liverpool considered to be ahead of them in the race, Erik ten Hag is looking to other targets.
      Mason Mount could be in line for a free transfer to Old TraffordCredit: PA
      And England midfielder Mount is increasingly being viewed as an ideal fit for the Dutchman’s plans going forward.
      The 24-year-old’s future at Stamford Bridge is up in the air amid a stand-off over a new contract.
      Mount’s current deal expires next summer while talks over fresh terms have stalled over the Blues’ desire to tie their stars down to long-term deals.
      Fellow academy graduate Reece James signed a six-year deal in west London last year, meaning there is an expectation on Mount to follow suit.
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      Boss Graham Potter has called for the situation to be resolved quickly, but while an impasse remains other top clubs are circling.Man United’s rivals Liverpool have also shown an interest, though they are also pursuing Bellingham this summer.
      Ten Hag’s top target remains Tottenham and England star Harry Kane, though investment is needed elsewhere and Three Lions teammate Mount is viewed as a good fit alongside Spurs’ all-time top scorer.
      United are growing ever more confident of landing Kane, whose camp have expressed an interest in the move, especially following Tottenham’s exit from both domestic cups and now the Champions League.
      As well as planning big name arrivals at Old Trafford ahead of next season, Ten Hag also wants to cut a number of under-performing players from his squad.
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      Captain Harry Maguire, forward Anthony Martial and midfielder Scott McTominay are all facing uncertain futures and are in line to be moved on come the end of the campaign.
      West Ham asked about a deal for England defender Maguire during the January window but were knocked back while both Newcastle and Southampton have considered McTominay.
      Right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka has long been open to a move back to Crystal Palace, who he left for United in 2019, and despite his turnaround in form could still be heading for the exit this summer.
      Ten Hag must also find a new club for Alex Telles, who is on loan at Sevilla until the end of the season but will have another year on his deal at Old Trafford when he returns.
      Erik ten Hag is keen on more midfield optionsCredit: Getty
      Man Utd are believed to be trailing behind Liverpool and Real Madrid in the race for Jude BellinghamCredit: Getty More

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      Cesc Fabregas admits he ‘hurt’ Arsene Wenger by quitting Arsenal with boss rejecting comeback before Chelsea transfer

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      CESC FABREGAS has revealed Arsene Wenger rejected the chance to re-sign him for Arsenal after being “hurt” by his initial departure.The Spaniard, now 35, left Barcelona to join the Gunners at the age of just 16.
      Cesc Fabregas was brought through by Arsene WengerCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Under Wenger, he went on to enjoy eight stellar seasons in North London, winning the FA Cup and reaching the Champions League final.
      In 2011, he returned to Barcelona for three years where he claimed the LaLiga title and Copa del Rey.
      Then in 2014, the midfielder sought a Premier League comeback and gave Arsenal the opportunity to agree a deal before any other club.
      However, Wenger ended up passing on Fabregas’ return, before he joined Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea.
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      Speaking on Kammy and Ben’s Proper Football Podcast, he said: “I really wanted to go back to the Premier League.
      “In the contract when I signed for Barcelona we said that, after I leave, Arsenal will have the first option. They had a week to respond.

      “So obviously we approached Arsenal, we said ‘listen I’m leaving Barcelona and by law, you have a week to decide if you want to take me back or not.’
      “For a week I couldn’t talk to anyone (else). We notified Arsenal, Arsene, everyone, so after a week we called Arsene and he said he’d thought about it and he said they already had a lot of players in my position like Mesut Ozil, Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and he said to fit me in he would have to play someone out [of position].
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      “I think also he was a little bit hurt… by how I left and everything.
      “I don’t hold anything bad because it’s their right, their decision and they could do what they wanted.
      “I had a few options and one of them was Chelsea. I spoke to Mourinho, I met him. He told me things that were very nice to hear. He wanted me to be the leader of that team. It just felt right.”
      Fabregas would go on to win the Premier League and League Cup in his first season at Stamford Bridge.
      He then claimed another league title in 2017 and the FA Cup in 2018.
      Nowadays he is playing for Serie B side Como – where he is also a part-owner.
      But he returned to Arsenal earlier this week to coach the Gunners’ U18s alongside former team-mate Wilshere. More

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      Chelsea join Arsenal in transfer battle for joker Hirving Lozano who once confessed to hiding under team-mates’ beds

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      CHELSEA have reportedly joined Arsenal in the transfer chase for Napoli’s Mexican joker Hirving Lozano.The winger, 27, moved to Serie A from PSV in 2019 and has scored 23 goals in 112 appearances in the Italian top-flight.
      Chelsea are reportedly chasing Napoli star Hirving LozanoCredit: Rex
      The Mexican international has helped Napoli to go 15 points clear at the top of the table and is a huge fan favourite.
      However, Lozano’s contract is believed to be expiring in 2024 and that could force them to cash in this summer rather than risk losing him for nothing.
      The star was initially linked with a move to England during his time in Holland.
      And reports that both Arsenal, Newcastle and Everton are all still keen have emerged over recent months.
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      Now journalist Raffaele Auriemma has told Radio CRC that Chelsea are also interested in what could be a £44.5m transfer deal.
      He said: “Chelsea likes the Mexican footballer, given that the Blues coach [Graham Potter] likes this type of winger.
      “In this case, the Neapolitan club can collect 50 million and pay it cash into Sassuolo’s coffers to take Lauriente and Frattesi.”
      Lozano is nicknamed “Chucky” in his homeland.
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      He earned that moniker after hiding under beds and jumping out on his team-mates during his time as a youth player.
      His nickname comes from the X-rated franchise featuring the same-named doll. More