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    Crystal Palace want to bring Conor Gallagher BACK on loan transfer from Chelsea and save his World Cup dream

    CRYSTAL PALACE are still hopeful of bringing Conor Gallagher back to the club and saving his World Cup dream.The 22-year-old first burst onto the scene during a loan spell at West Brom two seasons ago.
    Conor Gallagher could only have a limited chance of match action at ChelseaCredit: Reuters
    That led to Patrick Vieira making a move to sign him on a season-long loan from Chelsea last term.
    Midfielder Gallagher was one of Palace’s best performers and scored eight goals and created a further five.
    And his displays during his 39 appearances even caught the eye of England boss Gareth Southgate.
    He made his international debut back in November and he has since gone on to earn another three caps since.
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    Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel was also excited by the youngster’s form at Selhurst Park and decided to keep him at the club to be part of his first-team squad.
    Gallagher featured heavily during pre-season and got off the bench late on during Saturday’s opening day win at Everton for his competitive debut for the Blues.
    However, the Daily Mail claims that Palace are still watching his situation very closely.
    And they know that they can offer him regular Premier League starts ahead of this winter’s World Cup.
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    N’Golo Kante and Jorginho started as the midfield two for Chelsea at Goodison Park.
    Mateo Kovacic was also on the bench and the club continues to be linked with a move for Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong.
    His potential arrival would throw another obstacle in Gallagher’s way – which could allow Palace to pounce if he is made available on loan again.
    The midfielder was outstanding for the Eagles while on loan last termCredit: Getty More

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    Chelsea transfer targets De Jong and Aubameyang to hold crunch talks with Barcelona as double exit nears

    CHELSEA targets Frenkie de Jong and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are in crunch talks with Barcelona to sort out their futures.De Jong’s agents jetted into Barcelona on Wednesday to talk to the club, with both parties in a financial stand-off.
    Chelsea are now favourites to beat Manchester United to Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong for around £67.7millionCredit: Rex
    Barca’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has emerged as a surprise target for ChelseaCredit: Rex
    Auba, who only signed from Arsenal in January, has also instructed his  advisers to speak to the LaLiga giants to decide on his next move.
    Chelsea are now in a race with Manchester United for Dutch midfielder De Jong, who was verbally abused by a number of Barca fans as he arrived at the club’s HQ for training.
    Reports from Spain claimed the supporters insulted him with the taunt, “Lower your salary, b****!”
    Barcelona need to sell more players to balance the books and allow their summer signings to be registered ahead of their first game against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
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    Manchester United agreed a £72million fee to sign De Jong last month but he is owed £17m in deferred wages and will not agree to leave until he is paid.
    Barcelona would prefer him to stay but only if he agrees to take a significant pay cut and accept a £6m settlement for his deferred wages.
    The club  even alleged there had been criminality in the terms agreed in the contract  made by the previous board.
    That sparked a furious response from the Dutch players’ union, who said De Jong might be the  target of extortion.
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    Chelsea are willing to match United’s agreed £72m bid for De Jong, while their interest in Aubameyang is a shock.
    The Gabon striker, who has three years left on his contract, had a string of disciplinary issues with Arsenal but Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel worked with him at Dortmund.
    The Blues are already confident of signing Leicester’s Wesley Fofana and have been quoted £12m for Inter Milan’s teenage star Cesare Casadei — even though he has yet to play for the first team.
    Chelsea have already spent a massive £178m this summer under new owner Todd Boehly.
    The club’s American backers have invested in Raheem Sterling from Man City  for £50m, Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for £34m, and Marc Cucurella from Brighton for £62m.
    The club have also recruited Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa for £20m and Gabriel Slonina from Chicago Fire for £12m.
    Meanwhile, Timo Werner claims he “had a good time” at Chelsea despite failing to hit his best form.
    The German striker, 26, yesterday completed his £20m return to RB Leipzig — two years after he arrived for £48m.
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    Werner was slammed by fans after scoring  just 23 goals in 89 games.
    Yet he said: “I had a good time in England — I learnt a lot and got to know a new league. But I’m really pleased to be back.” More

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    ‘Cut your salary, b****’ – Man Utd and Chelsea transfer target Frenkie de Jong abused by Barcelona fans at training

    ABUSIVE fans told Frenkie de Jong to ‘cut your salary, b****’ as the Manchester United and Chelsea target turned up for Barcelona training.The Holland midfielder faced hateful shouts as he drove in – just as Thomas Tuchel’s Blues reportedly agreed a £67.6million fee for him.
    Insults were yelled at Frenkie de Jong when he turned up for Barca trainingCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk

    United, however, are refusing to give up the hunt, despite Chelsea being in ‘advanced talks’ with Barca.
    De Jong has claimed he wants to stay with the Spanish giants.
    But Barcelona owe him deferred wages and want him to reduce his pay.
    And even though it’s understood De Jong was prepared to consider some sort of cut, a few supporters gathered to scream at him as he steered his Porsche into training on Wednesday.
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    The saga makes it even more likely the 25-year-old will be off before the transfer window shuts.
    And Chelsea have overtaken United as favourites to sign the box-to-box star.
    Crucially, De Jong now appears ready to move on.
    United agreed a package with Barca in July but at that stage he was far from willing to go.
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    But now he’s more open to departing, and it’s Chelsea who are on the brink of a major coup.
    Personal terms seem all that’s left to sort out before a probable switch to Stamford Bridge in the next week or two.
    Barcelona owe Frenkie de Jong wages but fans hurled abuse at himCredit: Getty More

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    Fans all say the same thing as they spot cryptic clue on Chelsea transfer target Wesley Fofana’s Instagram

    CHELSEA fans are all saying the same thing as they spotted a new clue on Wesley Fofana’s future via Instagram. The Leicester centre-back has been strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in a deal north of £80m.
    Fofana played in Leicester 2-2 draw with Brentford on SundayCredit: Getty
    The Blues are trying to find bodies at the back after losing Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen for nothing earlier this window to the Spanish super clubs.
    And the young Fofana has been identified as a potential replacement to follow Kalidou Koulibaly through the door.
    The 21-year-old has impressed with his assured and mature performances since arriving at the King Power in 2020.
    A long-term injury threatened to disrupt his progress but he is now back and potentially set for a big move.
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    And Chelsea fans are more confident than ever after eyeing Fofana’s Instagram.
    Eagle-eyed supporters have spotted that the club’s last major signing Marc Cucurella has followed the centre-back on the social media platform.
    Fofana, in turn, has now followed goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and other new signing Carney Chukwuemeka.
    They believe this is a sign that the deal could be getting closer.
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    One fan tweeted: “Wesley Fofana has now started following Mendy & Chukwuemeka on Instagram. Of course he followed Cucurella yesterday.
    “Let’s close the deal, @ChelseaFC.”
    Another excited follower speculated: “He’s already having private chats with them. Just waiting for the move.”
    One tweeter joked: “Chelsea fans, all queue up, Wesley Fofana will soon be following each of us.”
    Chelsea have been busy in the window so far and all signs suggest that they are far from finished.
    The Blues are reportedly trying to hijack Manchester United’s pursuit of Frenkie de Jong.
    They are also believed to be interested in former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. More

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    Barcelona expect to complete Marcos Alonso transfer for just £6.5m this week as they set debut date for Chelsea star

    BARCELONA expect to complete the signing of Marcos Alonso for just £6.5million this week, according to reports.And the club have even pencilled in the left-back for his debut.
    Marcos Alonso is set to complete a £6.5m transfer to Barcelona this weekCredit: Getty
    According to AS, boss Xavi spoke with the Chelsea star on Tuesday to discuss the final details of his long-awaited summer switch.
    It is understood an agreement is now in place between the two clubs after the Spaniard submitted a transfer request.
    Alonso, 31, looks set to travel to Barcelona by Tuesday at the latest to complete his medical and sign the paperwork on a two-year deal with the option of an extra 12 months.
    That would mean he should be available to make his first appearance for his new club on matchday two of the new LaLiga season when Barca face Real Sociedad away on August 21.
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    However, there could be further complications if the Nou Camp club are unable to register Alonso immediately – after struggles to have their other new signings given the green light by league chiefs.
    Alonso has gone through a full pre-season with Chelsea so is fit and ready to go – as he competes with Jordi Alba for the left-back spot.
    Barca are still hopeful of securing Bernardo Silva on a deal from Manchester City – if they can ship Frenkie de Jong off to Chelsea.
    The Blues have already snapped up Alonso’s replacement by splashing out a whopping £62m on Marc Cucurella from Brighton.
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    However, it was £50m man Ben Chilwell who started against Everton on the opening weekend of the season before Cucurella came on for the last 15 minutes in defence.
    Fellow new signings Kalidou Koulibaly and Raheem Sterling also started in the 1-0 Goodison victory. More

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    Barcelona transfer chaos as new signings Christensen and Kessie could leave for FREE if not registered by Saturday

    BARCELONA pair Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie could sensationally LEAVE as free transfers without playing a competitive match.Both men arrived for nothing at the Nou Camp earlier in the window after running their contracts down at Chelsea and AC Milan respectively.
    Barcelona snapped up Andreas Christensen on a free transfer earlier in the windowCredit: Rex
    Franck Kessie turned down a new deal at AC Milan in order to link up with BarcaCredit: Getty
    But with three days to go until the start of the new LaLiga season, they are yet to be registered with the Spanish league.
    It was claimed last month how the Blaugrana were unable to register the duo due to financial fair play restrictions.
    And according to ESPN, they could now leave for free if they aren’t registered before Barca’s opener against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
    They state that they may decide to execute a clause in their deals in Catalonia that will see their contracts ripped up.
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    It has also been said that fellow new arrivals Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde are also yet to be registered.
    But their situation is different as they were not snapped up on free transfers.
    The news outlet has declared that while Christensen and Kessie have an option to leave, there is no suggestion it will come to that.
    And if that looked to be a possibility, the club would speak to their team to avoid such an embarrassing outcome.
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    As well as Barca’s new arrivals, they also haven’t been able to register Ousmane Dembele and Sergi Roberto after they penned new deals.
    With Barca struggling for funds, they are hoping to offload Frenkie de Jong, despite the midfielder wanting to stay.
    It has been claimed how Chelsea are closing in on a £67.6million agreement for the Holland international.
    Manchester United are said to be refusing to give up hope of landing him with Erik ten Hag making the ex-Ajax ace his No1 target. More

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    Man Utd refusing to give up on Frenkie de Jong transfer despite ace closing on Chelsea move after agreeing wage terms

    MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly refusing to give up on Frenkie de Jong.That’s after they agreed terms with his agent as rivals Chelsea struck a transfer fee with Barcelona.
    Man Utd are refusing to give up on a deal for Chelsea target Frenkie de JongCredit: Getty
    Sky claim United are yet to pack in their months-long pursuit of Barca star De Jong.
    Former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag has had the playmaker at the top of his list since joining the Red Devils.
    But De Jong has so far refused a move to Old Trafford due to United’s lack of Champions League football, plus his unpaid wages at Barcelona.
    Chelsea are now thought to have agreed a £67.6million fee with the Spaniards.
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    And Todd Boehly’s side are even prepared to meet the cost of De Jong’s £14m deferred salary.
    However, United remain in the hunt until the bitter end.
    It’s reckoned they have been locked in talks with De Jong’s agent over the past week.
    And an agreement on a contract has now been found in case the player changes his mind over a switch.
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    De Jong is now set to make a decision on his future in the next 48 hours.
    His preference is to stay at Barca, but the Dutch ace does not want to take a pay cut.
    And that means Chelsea remain favourites to land De Jong as they can offer him Champions League football. More

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    How Chelsea could line up this season after stealing Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona under Man Utd’s noses

    FRENKIE DE JONG could transform Chelsea from top four candidates to possible Premier League title challengers.The Blues are reportedly close to agreeing a £67.6million deal with Barcelona for the Dutch midfielder.
    Here is how Chelsea could start if they sign Frenkie de Jong and Wesley Fofana
    Manchester United had made landing the 25-year-old their No1 target, but the West London outfit are now in pole position to secure his services.
    Having laboured to a 1-0 win away at Everton on Saturday, Thomas Tuchel is desperate for more reinforcements.
    A new centre-back remains a priority for the German gaffer, with Leicester’s Wesley Fofana eyed up.
    Chelsea have already had two bids rejected for the 21-year-old as they line up a third offer in excess of £80m.
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    It remains to be seen whether the club bring in a centre-forward after allowing Romelu Lukaku to return to Inter Milan on loan.
    Meanwhile they have also sold Timo Werner to RB Leipzig in a £23.5m deal.
    Barca star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been linked with a shock switch back to England after six months following his spell at Arsenal.
    However Barcelona have just given the Gabon international a new number in a sign they will not be selling the 33-year-old.
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    Here SunSport takes a look at how Chelsea could line-up once the transfer window shuts on September 1.
    Edouard Mendy will surely retain his place between the sticks having established himself as the club’s No1 following his arrival from Rennes in 2020.
    Should Fofana be brought in, he would likely partner Thiago Silva and new recruit Kalidou Koulibaly in the heart of defence.
    Reece James would then be deployed as a right wing-back, with Marc Cucurella to potentially start ahead of Ben Chilwell on the opposite side.
    And if De Jong is snapped up, he could play alongside N’Golo Kante in the middle of the pitch at the expense of Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic.
    Raheem Sterling, who joined from Manchester City for £50m last month, could then feature next to English compatriot Mason Mount in an advanced role.
    Should Aubameyang fail to be brought in, Kai Havertz could be trusted to lead the line, with Armando Broja having to settle for a place on the bench.
    This is another way of how the Blues could line up under Thomas Tuchel should they do a deal for Aubameyang More