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    Chelsea starlet Silko Thomas wanted by Southampton in January transfer with 18-year-old impressing at youth level

    SOUTHAMPTON have their eye on Chelsea right wing-back Silko Thomas.The Saints hope to see the 18-year-old before deciding on a move when his Blues deal runs out in the summer.
    Chelsea’s Silko Thomas has caught the eye of a number of clubsCredit: Getty
    Southampton are keen on signing the teenage defenderCredit: Getty
    Thomas played for Sheffield United in an Under-21 game during an extended trial but the Blades need a defensive full-back.
    The Blues ace started as a winger so is ideal for a team with wing-backs.
    Despite being in the market for a full-back, Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom is open to signing the teenager and could rival Saints for his signature.
    He said of Thomas: “I’ve not seen him yet, he played in a game we couldn’t get to.
    “All my feedback has been through Del and Micky regarding him.
    “We know what his qualities are in terms of his attacking intent.
    “He’s a front-footed player.
    “He played wing-back for us and it adds a different dimension to his game there.
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    “Macca [Stuart McCall] watched him in the game, but I couldn’t get.
    “It’s something we’ll be led on by Del and Micky.
    “If we get to a point where everyone’s happy, then we’ll come and have a good look.
    “If we get to a point where everyone’s happy, then we’ll come and have a good look.”
    Thomas has made eight appearances for Chelsea’s reserves this campaign. More

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    Chelsea interested in Malo Gusto transfer but Lyon want to keep 19-year-old until end of season

    CHELSEA are interested in signing Lyon wonderkid Malo Gusto, according to reports.The Blues have already spent nearly £200million on young talent this month, as Todd Boehly looks to back Graham Potter.
    Malo Gusto tussles with Arsenal’s Reiss NelsonCredit: Getty
    And their winter splurge doesn’t look like ending any time soon.
    According to French newspaper L’Equipe, Chelsea want to sign 19-year-old right-back Gusto this month.
    The teenager has already made over 50 appearances for Lyon and has been a regular this season.
    His performances have earned him seven France under-21 caps and a reputation for being one of the world’s best young full-backs.
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    He has 18 months remaining on his Lyon contract.
    But the Ligue 1 side want to keep him until the end of the season.
    Lyon have underachieved this season, sitting ninth in the French top flight and 12 points off the European spots.
    Should he get to move this month, Gusto could offer valuable cover for crocked star Reece James.
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    The England international has been sidelined by knee injuries this term.
    Chelsea have spent £186.5m in the last three weeks, on David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos, Benoit Badiashile, Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke.
    They also paid a £10m loan fee to borrow Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season.
    Despite their spending, the Blues sit 10th in the Prem table.
    They drew 0-0 at Liverpool earlier, and remain nine points off Newcastle in fourth, with the Toon possessing a game in hand.
    Chelsea have made five permanent signings so far this month More

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    Chelsea suffer another injury – their ELEVENTH – as Trevoh Chalobah goes off against Liverpool

    CHELSEA have been dealt yet another injury blow after Trevoh Chalobah was hurt against Liverpool.The defender went down in the Blues’ penalty area in the 79th minute of the Premier League match at Anfield.
    Trevoh Chalobah is the latest Chelsea star to pick up an injuryCredit: Getty
    Chalobah had to receive treatment from the physio on an apparent muscle injury.
    After assessments, it was judged that he was unable to continue in the match.
    Manager Graham Potter replaced him with veteran Cesar Azplicueta, however Chabolah did get a parting gift of a yellow card from the referee.
    The 23-year-old was walking off the pitch with the physio, but not at the closest exit point from where he went down.
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    Potter will be cursing his luck after the defender’s injury as he becomes the 11th player to need the treatment room at Stamford Bridge.
    Stars including N’Golo Kante, Raheem Sterling, Denis Zakaria, Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Wesley Fofana are all out with injuries.
    Chelsea also have Armando Broja, Christian Pulisic and Eduoard Mendy out with injuries.
    Another absentee is Joao Felix, who is suspended until February after getting sent off on his debut against Fulham.
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    The game against Liverpool ended in a draw as both sides failed to get their seasons back on track.
    The match finished goalless, so at least Potter did not see his defence fall apart after the injury to Chabolah. More

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    Chelsea new-boy Noni Madueke is ‘mentality monster’, one of Europe’s best youngsters & plays like Robben, says top coach

    CHELSEA’s latest arrival Noni Madueke is “a mentality monster” who plays like Arjen Robben.That is the verdict of personal skills coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, who worked with Madueke during the last two summers to hone the attacking skills that persuaded the Blues to pay PSV Eindhoven £35million for the England Under-21 international.
    Noni Madueke is the latest signing to arrive at Stamford BridgeCredit: Getty
    Saul Isaksson-Hurst has been working with Noni Madueke
    Isaksson-Hurst, whose other professional clients include Brentford’s Rico Henry and Ligue 1 club Reims’ on-loan Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, said: “Noni is one of the best young forwards in Europe.
    “I’ve worked with a lot of top players but his intensity, mentality and desire to be the best is second to none.
    “I call him a mentality monster — he’s really driven and has very clear goals and ambitions.”
    Madueke’s willingness to do everything he can to become a better player led to his agent contacting Isaksson-Hurst in the summer of 2021.
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    The former Tottenham and Chelsea academy coach said: “We did a few weeks, three or four sessions a week.
    “He went back to PSV and exploded on to the scene and was linked with a lot of clubs.
    “We carried on talking, and then last summer, he actually flew me out to Marbella to do some intense training while he was on holiday.”
    Isaksson-Hurst has also worked with young Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior, Chelsea wideman Omari Hutchinson and Norwich defender Max Aarons.
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    Saul Isaksson-Hurst works one-on-one with players
    Arjen Robben enjoyed an outstanding career playing for some of the biggest clubs in EuropeCredit: Getty
    He said: “A player comes to me and I look at their position and where they play on the pitch. Then I look at what the game-changing moments are for that player and develop practices where we can develop and master the skills required.
    “Noni’s super-strength is cutting in from the right and working with his left foot, a bit like Arjen Robben.
    “We worked on a lot of variations of that, but also on how he could cut in using his right foot.
    “For a forward player, it’s about assists and goals, what is going to help him break lines and give end product.”
    You might expect big clubs like PSV to do such fine tuning themselves, but Isaksson-Hurst, 45, explained: “Some coaches will do ‘extras’ but the same thought process might not go into it.
    “I’ve worked with top players and I know how to design practices to get those game outcomes.”
    Isaksson-Hurst works on a consultancy basis for Arsenal.
    Madueke has been confirmed as a new Chelsea signingCredit: Twitter @ChelseaFC
    In addition, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, Wolves, Middlesbrough and Birmingham are among the clubs that use his MyPersonalFootballCoach app to supplement their in-house coaching.
    Madueke, 20, has followed former PSV team-mate Cody Gakpo, 23, now at Liverpool, to the Premier League in the current transfer window.
    And Isaksson-Hurst said: “Gakpo is a very good player, but for me Noni is right up there and is going to make an immediate impact.
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    “He has everything. He is technically unbelievable. Physically, he’s a specimen — but most important are his mentality and desire to be the best.”
    Reece James and Ben Chilwell are back in training as they recover from knee and hamstring injuries, but neither is expected to play against Liverpool tomorrow. More

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    Graham Potter admits ‘there’s no guarantee this is going to work’.. as Chelsea to take January spending to £189m

    GRAHAM POTTER incredibly admits “there is no guarantee” Chelsea’s massive spending spree will halt the club’s slump.Rival bosses Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Frank yesterday stuck the knife into the Blues’ whopping £189million January transfer splurge.
    Graham Potter has revealed that Chelsea’s spending may not solve the club’s current issuesCredit: Getty
    Brentford manager Frank branded Mykhailo Mudryk’s £88m deal as “insane”.
    And Liverpool chief Klopp added: “They fix problems differently to us. I’m not sure they can do that for the next ten years.”
    Potter is set to unleash Ukrainian winger Mudryk, 22, at Liverpool tomorrow, while Noni Madueke completed his £35m move from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven.
    Chelsea have also signed £35m defender Benoit Badiashile from Monaco, £10.5m striker David Datro Fofana from Molde, £11m Andrey Santos from Vasco da Gama and forward Joao Felix on a £9.7m loan deal from Atletico Madrid.
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    But Chelsea chief Potter confessed the mega spending is a huge gamble, insisting: “There is no guarantee that this is going to work.
    “With every decision you go into you should have the humility to say we haven’t got all the answers.
    “You’ve got to make the best educated guess you can and try to predict what may happen.”
    Chelsea are tenth in the Prem and out of both domestic cups.
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    And Potter added: “The players we have identified are young with quality.
    “They are all starting their careers so they are all ambitious.
    “They are not here to be fourth, they are here to win. So those are the upsides — but is there a life without risk? No.
    “Whatever you do there is risk it might not work.”
    Chelsea have splashed out a massive £465m since new US billionaire owner Todd Boehly took charge last summer.
    Frank revealed he tried to sign Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer — but was put off by the £30m the Ukrainian club demanded.
    He said: “Mudryk is a good player but nearly £100m? That is a lot.
    “He shows great signs of potential but needs to do a bit more. However, that is price tags these days and it is insane.”
    Mykhailo Mudryk is one of the latest arrivals in an £88million dealCredit: Getty
    Yet after Chelsea gazumped Arsenal to land Mudryk, Potter is backing his new Ukrainian star.
    Potter said: “He is a young player who has a lot of potential.
    “He brings speed, directness and one-v-one ability to just eliminate an opponent. He’s such an exciting player.
    “Now we have got to help him adapt to the Premier League.”
    Potter is planning team- bonding sessions so the new signings can integrate quickly.
    Yet he will not recreate the ballet dancing that he used at previous Swedish club Ostersunds.
    He said: “We need to bring the group together.
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    “It would be a mistake to replicate things we did at Ostersunds. There’ll be no Swan Lake here!
    “But building trust in a team, empathy and self-awareness, you can still do that without having to do a dance project.” More

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    Chelsea ‘step up Mason Mount contract talks as Liverpool target England midfielder in shock summer transfer’

    CHELSEA are reportedly set to step up their attempts to tie down Mason Mount to a new contract.The midfielder has 18 months left on his current deal at Stamford Bridge.
    Chelsea are reportedly set to offer Mason Mount a new contractCredit: Getty
    This means that he could walk out of the club on a free transfer in 2024.
    However, Chelsea want to keep hold of their star midfielder and will offer him a new contract, according to The Guardian.
    The report says that so far, the club have not met Mount’s wage demands but they are optimistic of sealing his future.
    The England international is currently one of the lowest earners in the first team with his wages around £75,000 per week.
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    The club are looking at options should they lose Mount, with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo seen as an option.
    Manager Graham Potter would help the Ecuadorian settle at the club, having been his boss at Brighton.
    The report also suggests that Liverpool are interested in signing Mount this summer.
    Serie A giants Juventus have also been credited with an interest in Mount.
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    Should a contract fail to be signed with Chelsea, it would severely dent the amount of money that the club could demand.
    Fans would likely not be happy to see Mount leave as he came through the ranks at Cobham.
    Since 2019, Mount has been one of the Blues’ key players in the midfield. More

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    Chelsea CONFIRM £35m Noni Madueke transfer from PSV on eight-and-a-half-year deal as Boehly’s January spending continues

    CHELSEA have confirmed the signing of Noni Madueke after posting a cryptic tweet to tease the announcement.The Blues have completed a £35million move for the PSV winger, taking their amazing January spending spree to £189million.
    Madueke described his England return as a “dream”
    He has signed a seven-and-a-half-year plus one deal at Stamford Bridge
    With the Englishman’s arrival, Chelsea have now brought five players through the door on permanent deals, while also adding Joao Felix until the end of the season this month.
    And Chelsea’s social media team have gotten more creative with their announcements – such is there frequency – that they announced him initially by simply posting a tweet that read: “Link in bio. 👀”
    From there, the link in the club’s Twitter profile would take fans to Madueke’s Instagram page.
    On Chelsea’s website, a statement announcing the deal said: “Noni Madueke has joined Chelsea on a permanent deal from PSV Eindhoven.
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    “The England youth international – one of the most exciting young talents across Europe – has penned a seven-and-a-half-year contract, with a club option to extend for a further year, to seal his move from the Eredivisie high-flyers.
    “Madueke, a left-footed right winger, becomes our second addition of the week as he follows Mykhailo Mudryk through the doors at Stamford Bridge.”
    On his transfer, Madueke said: “I’m really pleased to sign with one of the best clubs in the world in Chelsea,’ Madueke said on finalising his transfer.
    “To return to England and play in the Premier League is a dream for me and my family and I can’t wait to get started.
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    Chelsea have signed the 20-year-old from PSVCredit: PA
    “I am excited for what the future holds, the owner’s vision for the future and to be at a club like this and winning at the highest level.”
    Madueke scored 20 goals and added 14 assists in his time at PSV, but just one of those has come this season as he was coming back off of an ankle injury.
    He also outperformed his Expected Goals in 2020/21 season by a value of 2.1, meaning he scored far more than the average striker would have given the same chances.
    Earlier today, PSV boss and ex-Manchester United ace Ruud van Nistelrooy confirmed Madueke was on his way to the Blues.
    He said: “It’s a mix of emotions.
    “We are losing a good player because of his departure. There was no turning back and there was solid financial compensation.
    “I can empathise with the importance of the club. Given the circumstances, with the financial compensation, we have decided to sell.”
    The £30m deal for the 20-year-old checks off another target from Todd Boehly’s extensive fan-led shopping list.
    The club failed in a bid for Enzo Fernandez earlier in the window, but rather than deter them, they have simply switched targets to Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.
    The Blues already reportedly saw a £65m bid turned down for the Ecuadorian, but Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi admitted it would be difficult to keep him at the club with Chelsea’s interest.
    Chelsea face an interesting financial situation should they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.
    They sit as the club with the eighth highest revenue in all of Europe, according to Deloitte, but the nature of the long contracts they offer gives them flexibility to avoid breaking Financial Fair Play rules.
    A football financing tactic known as amortisation is used to spread the cost of transfers over the duration of a players contract, meaning Myhkailo Mudryk’s move will cost the club roughly £10m a season – owing to his own seven and a half plus one year contract.
    But Chelsea are testing this to the extreme, especially with new financial rules coming into play relating to a clubs wages to turnover ratio.
    On the deal Boehly and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali said: “We’re delighted to bring Noni to Chelsea.
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    “He’s an exciting talent who has proven his quality over the past few years with PSV, playing in a strong European league, and we are thrilled he has chosen to join Chelsea for this next stage of his career.
    “We are sure he will form an important part of our team.” More

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    Chelsea and Tottenham transfer blow as Milan Skriniar ‘agrees to join PSG for FREE in summer but could go in January’

    PSG have reportedly agreed on a deal to sign Milan Skriniar this summer, handing a blow to Chelsea and Tottenham.The Premier League duo were hoping to sign the centre-back to strengthen their backlines.
    PSG have reportedly beaten Chelsea and Tottenham to Milan SkriniarCredit: Getty
    But PSG have jumped to the front of the queue as they continued their interest in him from the summer.
    The Ligue 1 giants have agreed to sign him in the summer after his contract expires at Inter Milan, according to L’Equipe.
    The report also suggests the Slovak could make the move this month if PSG pays the Serie A side between £13-£8million.
    This could interest Inter as it would mean they would get some cash for one of their top players rather than see him walk out of the door for nothing at the end of the season.
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    Spurs would have been hoping that the Slovakian international could have improved their backline.
    Manager Antonio Conte signed Barcelona centre-back Clement Lenglet on loan last summer as a temporary solution while a long-term fix was identified.
    Chelsea, on the other hand, have been spending continuously since the take over by Todd Boehly.
    This month the Blues signed AS Monaco defender Benoît Badiashile to bolster their defence.
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    However, with Wesley Fofana’s injury problems and Thiago Silva not getting any younger, Skriniar would have been a good option.
    The fact that he would have been available on a free transfer would have appealed to the club after the near £500million spend since last summer. More