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      Chelsea legend Frank Leboeuf SLAMS Marc Cucurella and says defender ‘is not good enough’ to play for Blues

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      MARC CUCURELLA is “not good enough” to play for Chelsea, according to Blues legend Frank Leboeuf.Spaniard Cucurella, 26, arrived from Brighton in the summer for £62million.
      Frank Leboeuf says Marc Cucurella is ‘not good enough’ to play for ChelseaCredit: Getty
      Boss Graham Potter admitted the Spaniard has been suffering ‘family issues’Credit: Getty
      Since then the left-back has found good form difficult to come by amid Chelsea’s struggles.
      And that has led to him being dropped from the starting XI in recent games in favour of Cobham graduate Lewis Hall.
      Boss Graham Potter, who previously worked with the ex-Barcelona and Getafe ace at Brighton, has revealed that Cucurella has had family issues while going through his “difficult” transition to life at Stamford Bridge.
      But Chelsea legend Leboeuf, who won two FA Cups, a League Cup and the Uefa Cup and Super Cup during his five years at the club, is having none of it.
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      He told ESPN: “Hopefully Reece James and Ben Chilwell will go back into fitness as soon as possible because we need them.
      “We don’t want to see Cucurella anymore. With all due respect to a man that I don’t know, the player is not good enough for Chelsea. It’s as simple as that. 
      “It’s crazy that they signed him for £60m or £70m, but we can see that he doesn’t belong to this level.”
      Cucurella has been deployed at both full-back and centre-half in a back three this term.
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      He has started 16 of Chelsea’s 21 Premier League matches.
      Chelsea are currently languishing ninth in the top-flight and are 10 points off the top four and potentially looking at missing out on European football altogether next season.
      However, they are still in the Champions League and are preparing to face Borussia Dortmund in the last-16. More

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      Meet £6m England wonderkid Jimmy-Jay Morgan, 17, who Chelsea beat Man City and Arsenal to sign

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      GARETH BALE, Luke Shaw, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and more have made their name away from Southampton, after coming through the club’s famed academy.The latest youngster who is expected to wow Premier League fans in years to come is Jimmy-Jay Morgan.
      Jimmy-Jay Morgan is expected to take the Premier League by stormCredit: Getty
      Morgan, who was at Southampton, has joined Chelsea for £6m
      But, the fleet-footed forward, 17, won’t be showcasing his skills on the south coast.
      Instead, he could turn out for Chelsea – after joining the Blues in a £6million deal on the last day of the January transfer window.
      Todd Boehly’s team reportedly beat Man City and Arsenal to the signing of the teenager.
      So, what kind of player are they getting?
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      Last year, Morgan scored 27 goals for the U16s – frightening defences with his pace, power and lethal finishing.
      He was promoted to the U18s, where he scored 13 more.
      This campaign, the wonderkid has added hold-up play to his game.
      It hasn’t stopped him from scoring goals for fun, including six in 13 starts. But he has added five assists too that show he’s become a better team player.
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      Saints coach Louis Carey purred about the England U17 star after Morgan scored a hat-trick in the Premier League Cup – a competition for U21s.
      ““I know Jimmy gets the headlines and the match ball, he can finish and the range of finishes is at the level we probably haven’t seen coming through the system for many years,” Carey said after Southampton brushed aside Birmingham 4-0.
      “That’s a huge positive, but when you look at the goals it’s a set-play that’s worked on, him pressing or Dom Ballard making incredible runs to take away defenders, and then the quality from the boys to find the pass, effort that allows his goals to come.
      “But at the end of it you need someone like Jimmy to finish, and as I said I think he’s one of the best I’ve seen in my time here.”
      Last year, Morgan scored 27 goals for the Saints in the U16s
      Morgan has been capped by England at youth level
      With just 18 months left on his contract Southampton had to cash in on MorganCredit: Getty
      Contract rebel
      Morgan had just 18-months left of his contract, before Chelsea swooped.
      After he turned down a deal the week before the Blues came in for him, manager Nathan Jones hoped he would make the “right choices” in his career.
      Ahead of the FA Cup tie against Blackpool, Jones said: “Jimmy is a fantastic player with a bright future if he picks the right choices and the people that are working with him handle him well and if we work him in training and develop him into the right level.”
      However, he was snubbed from the match day squad, which Jones had explained the reasons for before.
      “If it’s right for us tomorrow to put a youngster in, we’ll do it. What we won’t do is put anyone in gratuitously,” he said.
      Morgan left Southampton without making a first team appearance
      Big things are expected from Morgan
      “They have to earn it, they have to be ready. When they do and they get their opportunities, we’d like them to take it, so we’ll see.”
      Sadly for Southampton fans, they didn’t get the chance to see Morgan in action.
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      He leaves without making a first team appearance. Time will tell if he made the “right choice” in joining Chelsea and will get the opportunities to impress. More

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      Chelsea ‘to end £40m-a-year sponsorship deal with Three as Todd Boehly aims to boost revenue after transfer splurge’

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      CHELSEA are planning to end their big money sponsorship deal with Three as Todd Boehly pursues a more lucrative deal, according to reports. The American owner has overseen a huge transfer splurge in January as the Blues recruited some of the most promising talent from around Europe.
      Three have had their logo on the front of Chelsea shirts since 2020Credit: Reuters
      The spending has left rival clubs scratching their heads with financial fair play rules meant to restrain the richer clubs.
      With the window closed, Boehly now appears to have turned his attention to boosting the club’s revenue to help comply with transfer rules.
      The Telegraph report that the consortium led by Boehly are looking to move on from the deal with Three.
      The phone company’s logo has featured prominently on the Chelsea kit since 2020 in a deal worth £40m-a-year.
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      But reports say the new ownership believe they can strike a far more lucrative deal than that with Three.
      The club are said to have no plans to extend the contract beyond this season.
      Three angered some Chelsea fans last season after publicly asking for their logo to be removed from the football shirt.
      Their request came amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine when Roman Abramovich came under heavy scrutiny for his relationship with the Kremlin.
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      The issue would eventually lead to Abramovich selling up to the Clearlake group led by Boehly.
      They have overseen a dramatic first season at Stamford Bridge which has included heavy spending during both the summer and winter windows and the sacking of Thomas Tuchel early in the season. More

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      Chelsea look blunt up front but Kepa Arrizabalaga and Thiago Silva continue to provide impressive Dream Team returns

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      CHELSEA’S transfer dealings may have excited their fans recently but the Stamford Bridge faithful have been struggling to stay awake on match days.The Blues have won just twice since the turn of the year, scoring only three goals in their last seven fixtures.
      After two 0-0 draws in a row, a lack of potency and cohesiveness in the final third is Graham Potter’s primary concern but three consecutive clean sheets reflect positively on the defensive unit.
      Clean sheets are coming far easier than goals for Chelsea right nowCredit: getty
      This contrast is reflected starkly by the Dream Team rankings.
      Mason Mount (£3.6m), Hakim Ziyech (£2.6m) and the like have barely produced two points to rub together in the last few Game Weeks whereas Kepa Arrizabalaga (£3.4m) and Thiago Silva (£5.8m) are thriving.
      The latter has been among the top ten defenders pretty much since the get-go.
      An absolute class act, the veteran centre-back’s overall tally of 107 points puts him fourth in his position – only the Newcastle trio of Kieran Trippier (£6.6m), Fabian Schar (£4.8m) and Dan Burn (£4.8m) are above him.
      After a lean run of ten points in eight outings between Game Weeks 12 and 17, Silva has responded superbly with 29 in his last three appearances.
      The Brazilian defender was deservedly named Star Man against Liverpool and he narrowly missed out on making it two from two following his side’s stalemate with west London rivals Fulham on Friday night.
      Fine wines and all thatCredit: getty
      Silva is in a league of his own among team-mates, 29 points ahead of Chelsea’s next-best player, and 44 points ahead of the club’s second-best defender, Marc Cucurella (£3.3m).
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      The aforementioned Arrizabalaga is that man 29 points short of Silva but it’s worth noting that Edouard Mendy (£3.2m) was first-choice goalkeeper for the first two months of the campaign.
      In fact, among keepers to have played at least five games this season, only Nick Pope (£5.3m) averages more points-per-game (4.8) than the Chelsea’s Spaniard (4.1).
      Arrizabalaga has worked his way up to third in the rankings among assets in his position and yet he features in just 2% of teams, making him significantly less popular than the likes of Alisson (£3.9m), Aaron Ramsdale (£4.2m) and Ederson (£4.5m), who all have fewer points at the time of writing.
      Overlooked by Dream Team managersCredit: getty
      In fact, even Silva’s ownership is a modest 5.4% and he’s been consistently brilliant for months on end now.
      It’s likely that many Dream Team gaffers are assuming that Chelsea’s inability to score goals means there’s no points to be had but in Kepa and Silva, Stamford Bridge is home to two of the very best defensive assets in the game this season. More

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      Chelsea ‘are keeping tabs on former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique’ as pressure mounts on Graham Potter

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      CHELSEA are reportedly keeping tabs on former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique. The Blues are having one of their poorest seasons for years but spent heavily in the January window to try and rectify their fortunes.
      Luis Enrique has enjoyed great success as a manager at club levelCredit: Getty
      Goalless draws against Liverpool and Fulham are all Chelsea have to show for so far despite their lavish window.
      Graham Potter is under growing pressure to turn things around at Stamford Bridge, and Fichajes report the club are eyeing another manager.
      Luis Enrique is believed to be someone the club are following closely – but the report does not suggest Potter’s job is under immediate threat.
      Enrique has been out of work since leaving his role as Spain boss following the country’s underwhelming World Cup showing.
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      La Furia Roja crashed out in the last-16 to surprise package Morocco after failing to score any of their penalties following a goalless 120 minutes.
      He had been in charge of the national team since 2018 but failed to bring home silverware, with the Euros in 2021 also ending with a penalty shootout loss.
      The lack of success nationally was in sharp contrast to his achievements at club level.
      The 52-year-old secured an extraordinary treble in his first season in charge of Barcelona as he bought home La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League trophies in 2015.
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      He would win La Liga again and the Copa del Rey twice more before departing the Nou Camp when his contract expired.
      With a difficult trip to West Ham up next for Chelsea, Potter is desperate to drag the Blues up the table from their lowly 9th position.
      Mykhailo Mudryk, Enzo Fernandez and Benoit Badiashile were among those recruited last month during a spending spree which neared £300m. More

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      Chelsea could land Denzel Dumfries in swap transfer with Inter Milan as they target Trevoh Chalobah

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      CHELSEA could land Denzel Dumfries as part of a swap transfer with Trevoh Chalobah, according to reports.Inter Milan are desperate to bring in a new centre-back at the end of the season.
      Denzel Dumfries could be on his way to Chelsea as part of a swap transferCredit: Getty
      Trevoh Chalobah is on the list of Inter Milan centre-back targetsCredit: Getty
      Milan Skriniar, who has been stripped of the captaincy, has agreed a pre-contract arrangement to join Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
      And so Simone Inzaghi is scouting for a defender to replace the departing Slovakian.
      According to Juve News’ Niccolo Ceccarini, Chalobah is on their list of possible options.
      The Blues ace, 23, has progressed through the academy to become a first-team regular.
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      He has made 18 appearances this term, starting 11 Premier League matches.
      However, the arrivals of Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana this season may have hindered Chalobah’s long-term opportunities at Stamford Bridge.
      So Inter may try and scoop to bring in the former England Under-21 international, whose pal Fikayo Tomori made a similar switch from Chelsea to Milan.
      And to sweeten the deal, the Nerazzurri could use Dumfries in the exchange.
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      Holland ace Dumfries, 26, has been linked with Chelsea in the last two transfer windows.
      But the Blues may be less keen for the wing-back after securing Malo Gusto in January for £35million before sending him straight back to Lyon on loan.
      Another player being considered by Inter is Chris Smalling.
      The former Manchester United man’s contract at Roma expires this summer and he is stalling over accepting the two-year offer on the table.
      So Inter, who missed out on Harry Maguire on loan last month, would be keen to pounce and land him on a free transfer should he decide against extending his stay at the Stadio Olimpico.
      It is understood Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini and Merih Demiral remain Inter’s preferred targets.
      The San Siro giants are also interested in Rodrigo Becao, whose Udinese deal runs out in 2024, and Fiorentina ace Nikola Milenkovic. More

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      Why Aubameyang was not in Chelsea’s squad to face Fulham after devastating Champions League axe

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      PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG is back at work with Chelsea amid rumours of a shock return to Barcelona this summer.The striker, 33, was dramatically axed from the club’s Champions League squad on Friday and wasn’t even on the bench for the 0-0 draw at home to Fulham that evening.
      Graham Potter gave Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a weekend offCredit: Getty
      On the pitch, the former Arsenal captain has only three goals this season, while his last start was back on November 6.
      The brutal chop last week only strengthened claims from Spain that Aubameyang could go back to the Nou Camp.
      He is six months into a two-year contract at Stamford Bridge, with the club holding the option of a third year.
      The Gabon international, who had his contract terminated at the Gunners by mutual consent after a string of misdemeanours and poor time-keeping, was given a weekend off by Chelsea boss Graham Potter as consolation.
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      And Aubameyang promptly jetted out to Milan – just days after he was linked with a move to AC Milan.
      The striker has also attracted interest from LAFC, with the MLS transfer window open until April 24.
      Aubameyang was bang on time on Monday morning when the Blues squad resumed training ahead of Saturday’s lunchtime trip to West Ham.
      He is in contention for a place in the squad but faces a gloomy long-term future in West London, even though the club are struggling up front.
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      Potter brought on rookie David Datro Fofana, 20, in Friday’s stalemate in a boost to his striking options.
      That was despite the fact the little-known £10.5million Ivorian, only signed in January from Norwegians Molde, was set to go on loan at one point during last month’s transfer window.
      Keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga praised the influence of new signings £107m British record buy Enzo Fernandez and £35m defender Benoit Badiashile against Fulham.
      He said: “Everyone saw Enzo’s quality and how well he played.
      “He is a big player for us and, hopefully, he can help us a lot.

      “Benoit is a really good guy, very calm and has big quality with the ball.
      “He’s also strong in the air. He’s having a great impact on the team.” More

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      Enzo Fernandez ‘only looking to rent in London for 12 months despite 8-year contract.. and Chelsea star has huge budget’

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      ENZO FERNANDEZ is reportedly looking to rent in London for 12 months despite signing an eight-year deal with Chelsea.The Argentina international joined the Blues in a £115million deal from Portuguese outfit Benfica.
      Enzo Fernandez is reportedly budgeting £2million for rent over the next 12 monthsCredit: Rex
      He made his debut for the club in the 0-0 draw against Fulham.
      Fernandez is now looking to sort out his living arrangements for his time at Stamford Bridge.
      However, he is only looking for a place in the capital for the next 12 months, according to the Daily Mail.
      This is a surprise as he joined the club on a long-term deal.
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      However, the report suggests he has set aside an eye-watering budget of £2m for the year’s rent.
      This means that he is prepared to make a monthly rent payment of up to £166,666.
      It is said that one of his representatives has been in contact with an estate agency to find the right property for him.
      Fernandez was a target for Chelsea following his impressive performances during the World Cup in Qatar as well as his showing for Benfica in the first half of the season.
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      He was awarded with the Golden Boy award as he helped Argentina to victory in the competition.
      The signing took Chelsea’s January spend to £320m as co-owner Todd Boehly attempts to rebuild the side for manager Graham Potter. More