Chelsea transfer news

THOMAS TUCHEL has admitted that Romelu Lukaku’s match fitness remains some way off the standard required to match Chelsea’s intensity levels.The £95 million man was left out of the starting line-up yet once again for the 2-0 FA Cup semi-final triumph over Crystal Palace.
Meanwhile, two of the four Chelsea bidders are reportedly monitoring Monaco sporting director Paul Mitchell’s situation.
And on the transfer front, rumour suggest that Real Madrid are lining up a big money move for Reece James in the summer.
Keep up to date with all of the latest updates from the takeover in our live blog…
Money Mase steps up again
Mason Mount has been in unbelievable form for Chelsea this season.
England boss Gareth Southgate will be pleased.

Romelu Lukaku highest earner
Romelu Lukaku is Chelsea’s top earner.

Tuchel criticises Romelu Lukaku fitness
Thomas Tuchel revealed before yesterday’s FA Cup semi-final that Romelu Lukaku’s match fitness remains some way off the standard required to match Chelsea’s tactical intensity.
The German noted: “He is not fit enough for the intensity of our game in an FA Cup semi-final.
“It’s not easy to come into a game such as this with so much riding on it after a spell out with injury.
“It’s just a case of him not having as much minutes recently as the other players, his match fitness is not quite there otherwise there’s a big chance that he would have started today.”
Loftus-Cheek fires Chelsea into FA Cup final
Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored in the 2-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The England international helped secure the Blues’ place in the final for the third season in a row.

Chelsea ‘closely monitoring’ Monaco sporting director
Two Chelsea bidders are “closely monitoring” Paul Mitchell as they prepare to hire a new sporting director, according to reports.
The post at Stamford Bridge has been vacant since Michael Emenalo left the club in 2017.
And Mancunian Mitchell, 40, is being chased by at least two of the three parties left in the running to buy the Blues, say The Athletic.
The shortlist to take over from Roman Abramovich at Chelsea had been cut to four parties.
But after the group led by the Ricketts family withdrew their proposal, the race is now between groups led by Todd Boehly, Stephen Pagliuca and Sir Martin Broughton.
All parties are keen on keeping transfer supremo Marina Granovskaia.
Chelsea owner search continues
Chelsea are yet to be bought from Russian owner Roman Abramovich.

Loftus-Cheek keen to stay
Chelsea academy product Ruben Loftus-Cheek is keen to stay at the club.
The midfielder helped fire Chelsea into a third consecutive FA Cup final in the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Goal scorer Loftus-Cheek said: “Everyone wants to play and I feel like I’ve done well in the last couple of games and I wanted to keep the momentum, but the strength in depth in the squad is fantastic.
“The reason why I’m still here is because of my mentality through all the injuries.
“I keep going and I still believe in myself. My time will come and I will keep knuckling down and working for it.”
Real Madrid eye Chelsea’s James
LaLiga leaders Real Madrid are interested in signing Chelsea’s Reece James, according to reports.
The Mirror are reporting that James, 22, played against Real in the Champions League quarter-finals this month and Carlo Ancelotti is said to have been impressed.
Chelsea lost the tie 5-4 on aggregate after the game went to extra-time at the Bernabeu.
James could be a good upgrade on current right-back Dani Carvajal.
Main man Mason Mount
Mason Mount has been Chelsea’s main man this season.

Watch Tuchel go ballistic at Jorginho 
Thomas Tuchel went ballistic on the touchline after Jorginho was caught dawdling on the ball against Crystal Palace – and fans were quick to notice.
At times, in-form Palace looked as though they could spring a surprise, too.
And, midway through the first half, it all got a bit too much for Tuchel.
Jorginho was caught dawdling on the ball in the middle of the park.
While the Italian did win a free-kick, Tuchel was left fuming.

Ex-Chelsea doctor owns English football club
Seven years ago, Eva Carneiro got in a row with Jose Mourinho while she was Chelsea physio.
She subsequently lost her job with the Blues, but was paid damages for her dismissal in court.
Now, she is thriving in football once again – as an investor in non-league Lewes FC.
The Gibraltan, 48, is also working with the Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Qatar ahead of this year’s World Cup.
It completes a remarkable turn-around in fortunes for the doctor.
In 2015, then Chelsea boss Mourinho was left incensed when she ran onto the pitch with chief physio Jon Fearn to treat an injured Eden Hazard during a Premier League match with Swansea.
The Special One was livid that the match was interrupted in injury time, as Chelsea pushed for a winner.
Credit: PA:Press Association
Blues in another final
Chelsea will contest the FA Cup final next month for the THIRD year in a row.
They lost the last two to Leicester and Arsenal.
They will face Liverpool, who they lost to in the Carabao Cup final earlier this year.
Third time lucky?

Ex-Tottenham chief in Chelsea frame
Two Chelsea bidders are “closely monitoring” Paul Mitchell as they prepare to hire a new sporting director, according to reports.
The post at Stamford Bridge has been vacant since Michael Emenalo left the club in 2017.
And Mancunian Mitchell, 40, is being chased by at least two of the three parties left in the running to buy the Blues, say The Athletic.
The shortlist to take over from Roman Abramovich at Chelsea had been cut to four parties.
But after the group led by the Ricketts family withdrew their proposal, the race is now between groups led by Todd Boehly, Stephen Pagliuca and Sir Martin Broughton.
Frank Leboeuf hammers Chelsea midfielder
Ex-Blue Frank Leboeuf has slammed Blues ace Jorginho.
Speaking to ESPN after yesterday’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, Leboeuf pointed to the Italian’s main flaw.
He said: “With all due respect to Jorginho, yes, he’s there, he doesn’t lose the ball, but sometimes he slows down the game, and that’s not a very good thing for Chelsea.”
Chelsea match club goal record
Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s strike yesterday saw the Blues match an unusual club record.
The midfielder became the 20th Chelsea player to score this season – the joint highest number of scorers in the club’s history.
The tally matches the club’s from the 2015-16 season, during which they came tenth in the Premier League.
Tuchel looks ahead to final
German Thomas Tuchel has looked ahead to next month’s FA Cup final clash with Liverpool.
He said: “We lost of course a final against them when we gave everything and it went until the very last penalty. We were unlucky and we want to turn things around.
“We were here last season in the FA Cup final and we will be here again.
“That means an unbelievable lot to us because it’s the FA Cup, it’s prestigious, the most traditional cup in the world and played at Wembley, so there are not a lot of bigger games to be part of.
“We will be well prepared because we play against one of the strongest teams in the world that have outstanding form. So it will be a tough one and we will try to make life hard for them.”
Mount desperate for Wembley success
Chelsea ace Mason Mount is desperate to taste Wembley final success next month.
The midfielder has lost showpiece occasions under the arch while playing for Derby, England and the Blues.
After yesterday’s cup semi-final win, he said: “I haven’t had the best memories in finals at Wembley so to get to another one is an opportunity to make it right and to finally win one.
“I’ve always said that I want to win the big trophies and the FA Cup is one of the biggest.
“We know it’s going to be a very hard game against Liverpool. We watched the game yesterday and we know what they bring but every time we play them there are fireworks so it’s a fairytale game.
“Of course we remember the last final we played and we have an opportunity to put that right now.
“It’s definitely time for us to win a final at Wembley. For myself, it’s been five finals I’ve lost so now we have to put the pressure on ourselves to step up.”
Tuchel hopes star pushes on
Thomas Tuchel is optimistic that yesterday’s goal against Crystal Palace could be huge for Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
The German said: “Hopefully it’s a big moment for him.
“He’s normally a very calm, very quiet guy but we saw him jumping and celebrating the goal and that is good because he’s the opposite of over-confident.
“You need to instil this confidence into his body and into his game and these are the next steps for him, that he can absolutely feel how much influence he can have, and that he shows everybody in the stadium his potential, and not only to us on the training ground.”
Chelsea ace on goalscoring prowess
Mason Mount has admitted that scoring more goals has been a focus of his this season.
After his latest strike against Crystal Palace, he said: “It’s obviously been quite a productive season for me.
“At the start, it was something I really looked at because as a midfielder you want to be someone who gets goals and assists.
“I’ve always wanted to be that threat and I’ve tried to do it as best I can.
“It’s started to come off a bit more this season but you always have those periods where you don’t score as well and I’ve had those this season too.
“It’s been a good little period the last couple of games. I’ve just been trying to focus on getting in the box and trying to take my opportunities.
“I had a couple of shots today and they went miles over but then I had the one right at the end where it’s the best chance out of all of them. I’ve got to take it and I found the corner which is something I’ve been working on in training.”
Mount delighted for Loftus-Cheek.
Chelsea star Mason Mount is “buzzing” for Ruben Loftus-Cheek after his fellow academy graduate opened the scoring against Crystal Palace yesterday.
He said: “I’m absolutely buzzing for Rubes.
“He’s worked so hard to get back into the shape he is now and he’s a top player. He came on in a difficult game but stepped up and did well.
“He’s a big, dominant player for us and the way he drives the ball forward really helps us move up the pitch. He was brilliant today when he came on.”
Mount praises much-maligned star
Mason Mount has been full of praise for often-criticised German ace Timo Werner.
Following yesterday’s win, the England international said: “He’s been brilliant since he came in at Southampton and then in Madrid.
“You can see he’s full of energy. In the second half there was a moment where he missed a chance but then me and Jorginho were laughing on the bench because he sprinted all the way back to the halfway line and made a tackle.
“That’s what we’re all about. He gives everything so I’m very pleased for him.
“He got me a little assist, could have had another one and he could have had a couple of goals as well. He’s done so well the past couple of games.”
James is on Real radar
Real Madrid are plotting a sensational swoop for Chelsea star Reece James this summer, according to reports.
The Blues right-back, 22, has been in superb form this season – excelling in attack as well as defensively.
James is quickly establishing himself as England’s No1 man in that position despite Gareth Southgate’s plethora of options.
And Real Madrid are hoping to lure him away from Old Trafford in the summer, according to The Mirror.
Los Blancos recently got a close look at James during their Champions League quarter-final tie against Chelsea.
James was in scintillating form as the Blues came within touching distance of a stunning second-leg comeback at the Bernabeu.
Mount talks Palace cup win
Chelsea ace Mason Mount has offered his reaction to yesterday’s 2-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Crystal Palace.
The midfielder said: “It’s a game that we needed to bounce back. Any time you play at Wembley, it’s a special occasion. I can’t remember the last time I scored here but I think it was quite a while ago.
“If you look at the game overall, it was very tight. I was speaking to Marc Guehi afterwards and saying how well they played and how good they are as a team with top players.
“They made it very difficult for us with the way they set up. They have a very good manager and we found it difficult. It took quite a long time for us to break them down.
“We didn’t have many chances until we scored, which opened the game up. They had to go forward a bit more, which left more gaps and then we got the second which was the game killed off.”
Tuchel criticises Romelu Lukaku fitness
Thomas Tuchel revealed before yesterday’s FA Cup semi-final that Romelu Lukaku’s match fitness remains some way off the standard required to match Chelsea’s tactical intensity.
The German noted: “He is not fit enough for the intensity of our game in an FA Cup semi-final.
“It’s not easy to come into a game such as this with so much riding on it after a spell out with injury.
“It’s just a case of him not having as much minutes recently as the other players, his match fitness is not quite there otherwise there’s a big chance that he would have started today.”
Joe Cole’s Lukaku warning revealed
Joe Cole has warned Romelu Lukaku he has just SIX WEEKS to save his Chelsea career.
Former Blue Cole told ITV: “Lukaku has six weeks to save his Chelsea career.
“You look at Werner and he doesn’t give up. Lukaku wants to be that focal point but he missed a chance.
“When it’s not going for you, it’s not going for you.
“People saw Lukaku as the missing piece of the jigsaw, it didn’t happen.
“But it can come back as quickly as it goes. Football can change in one game.”
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CHELSEA have booked their spot in the FA Cup final having comfortably dealt with Crystal Palace at Wembley.The Blues will be participating in their third consecutive FA Cup final where Liverpool awaits.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn has admitted that the German giants cannot afford Erling Haaland.
Which paves the way for Chelsea to bolster their striking options with Romelu Lukaku’s exit looming.
And the new ownership team are set to be revealed next week.
Stephen Pagliuca has announced NBA chairman Larry Tanenbaum as co-managing partner in his bid, with John Terry also part of the takeover attempt.
Also on his team are ex-Disney CEO Bob Iger & journalist Willow Bay, Facebook Co-Founder Eduardo Saverin & businesswoman Elaine Saverin; B Capital co-founder Raj Ganguly.
Keep up to date with all of the latest updates from the takeover in our live blog…
Prem date moved
Chelsea’s Premier League match with Manchester United has been moved after the Blues reached the FA Cup Final.
The West Londoners will return to Wembley stadium on May 14 to face Liverpool.
But the game means Chelsea will be unable to fulfil their original league date against United.
The two teams were due to play at Old Trafford on Sunday May 15, which is the day after the final.
But it has now been confirmed the ficture will be moved and thus the Red Devils will host Thomas Tuchel’s men on Thursday April 28.
And the match will kick off at 7.45pm, with live TV coverage remaining on Sky Sports
Tuchel on Loftus-Cheek
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel reiterated his instruction to Ruben Loftus-Cheek insisting he needs to show more.
Tuchel said: “Hopefully a big moment because it was a big moment.
“He’s normally a clam and quiet guy, but to see him like this – jumping and celebrating – is good.
“As I’ve said, we need to install this confidence into his body and game and these are the next steps for him.
“He needs to feel how much influence he can have, show everybody in the stadium the potential he has and not just to us on the training pitches”
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Tuchel on Kovacic injury
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel announced that Mateo Kovacic suffered an ankle injury and “it does not look so good”.
Tuchel said: “We went for Jorgi [Jorginho] in the mix as he was hungry to play this match.
“The season is not finished and we wanted to reward Jorgi and Azpi [Cesar Azpilicueta] to stay part.
“Kova goes out. He is in pain and the ankle is swollen. It’s a huge ankle right now. It does not look so good but let’s wait for the examination.
More from Tuchel
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel added: “We can’t promise. All we can do now is to be well prepared because it will be another hard fight given their quality and run of form.
“It’s difficult to beat them but this is what the cup final is about, it’s about winning.
“It makes the season so much sweeter if you have a final you can win, but in a final two compete against each other and you can sometimes give your everything and it’s sometimes not enough”
Tuchel on Liverpool final
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel addressed the upcoming FA Cup Final against Liverpool, just a few months after an unsuccessful Carabao Cup Final.
Tuchel said: “We lost a final and we gave everything in that final. It was a big match that went until the last penalty.
“We were unlucky to lose it and of course, we want to turn things around.
“It will not give us the Carabao title back but it’s the FA Cup, it’s the most prestigious and traditional cup in the world. There are not a lot of bigger games to be part of”
More from Tuchel
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel opened up on the way he approached the FA Cup semi-final tactically.
Tuchel added: “Very solid, very serious. We had to take care of some things to control the counter-attacks before they even started. For that, we had to be disciplined and we had to close the spaces.
“We did not expect them to change their formation so there were not the spaces we thought we could explore. It was not maybe the most exciting game to watch but it was important to keep the discipline up.
“We did not lose the focus for a second. We tried to find different spaces in the second half to overload the middle and accelerate the game more and then it became more fluid. Then you have to covert the half chance or the chance to win it”
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Chelsea given Haaland boost
Bayern Munich have ruled out a move for Borussia Dortmund superstar and Chelsea transfer target Erling Haaland.
Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn admitted the German champions would love to sign Haaland.
But he admitted the Bavarians can’t afford Dortmund’s release clause for the star striker.
Kahn said: “Haaland? I don’t think we would be doing our job properly if we didn’t consider such a young striker.
“He’s an excellent striker and a very interesting player for the future. But financial dimensions [of a deal] are beyond our imagination”
Loftus-Cheek reacts
Chelsea ace Ruben Loftus-Cheek looked back at his “tough road” to full fitness.
Loftus-Cheek told ITV: “Way overdue [the goal]! It has been a tough road with injuries and going on loan to find my form again but I always believed in myself and I always wanted to play for Chelsea. I have played quite a lot this season, I am happy.
“I was just thinking hit it, I think it took a little deflection but I’ll take it! I had to be ready to step in. It looked a bit slow in the first half so I just wanted to bring some energy.
“The reason I am still here is my mentality through all the injuries. I still believed in myself and I said for many years my time will come.
“We want to get them back, simple as that. It was a fantastic game in the League Cup final and could have gone either way”
Thomas Tuchel reacts
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel praised Ruben Loftus Cheek’s performance against Crystal Palace.
Tuchel told ITV: “It was not easy because we played three games in three different competitions. It is not always easy, very challenging physically, we are the team with the most minutes in Europe I think, it is also challenging mentally.
“I thought the performance was very controlled and very serious, we took care of their counterattacks. It was hard, the opponent changed system twice, you cannot lose focus for a minute.
“He [Ruben Loftus-Cheek] was very, very strong in matches against Southampton and Real Madrid, he would have deserved to start but we expected a back four. We knew Ruben would have a big impact off the bench. I am very happy.
“He hid his talent and potential for a long time in his career. He is capable of producing performances that everyone sees on the pitch. For him it is step by step that he continues to grow in his confidence”
Back at it
Chelsea and Liverpool are set to face off in the FA Cup Final on May 14 at Wembley.
The Blues and the Reds will be the second pair to meet in both the FA Cup and League Cup finals in the same season.
That is after Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday in the 1992-1993 campaign.
More below:

FT: Chelsea 2 Crystal Palace 0
Chelsea punched their ticket to the FA Cup Final after beating Crystal Palace 2-0 at Wembley Stadium.
The Blues opened the scoring on 65 minutes with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who came on for the injured Mateo Kovacic in the first half.
The West Londoners sealed qualification with Mason Mount after 76 minutes.
Thomas Tuchel’s men are now set to face Liverpool in the final
Chelsea 2 Crystal Palace 0
Chelsea are close to the FA Cup Final as they are leading 2-0 against Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
The Blues opened the scoring on 65 minutes with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who came on for the injured Mateo Kovacic in the first half.
And the West Londoners doubled their lead with Mason Mount after 76 minutes.
If Chelsea maintain their lead they will face Liverpool in the final
Chelsea 0 Crystal Palace 0
We’ve reached the hour-mark at Wembley and both Chelsea as well as Crystal Palace are still goalless.
Reminding you all you can follow the live action in SunSport’s live blog here
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
HT: Chelsea 0 Crystal Palace 0
It’s half-time at Wembley and Chelsea are still goalless with Crystal Palace.
The Blues lost Matteo Kovacic to an injury and Thomas Tuchel had to take him off on 26 minutes.
Kovacic was replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
The winner will go on to face Liverpool in the FA Cup Final
Chelsea 0 Crystal Palace 0
And here’s how the benches look like:
Chelsea: Kepa, Silva, Kante, Lukaku, Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Saul, Ziyech, Sarr.
Crystal Palace: Guaita, Milivojevic, Tomkins, Olise, Ayew, Clyne, Benteke, Edouard, Kelly.
Chelsea 0 Crystal Palace 0
It’s still goalless at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final between Chelsea and Crystal Palace.
Here’s a little reminder of the two teams’ starting line-ups:
Chelsea: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso, Mount, Havertz, Werner.
Crystal Palace: Butland, Ward, Guehi, Anderson, Mitchell, Kouyate, McArthur, Schlupp, Zaha, Eze, Mateta.
John Terry takeover reminder
Chelsea legend John Terry will play a key role in Boston Celtics and Atalanta co-owner Steve Pagliuca’s bid to become the club’s next owner, according to SunSport’s Andy Dillon.
Pagliuca won Terry’s backing just 24 hours before final bids were submitted on Thursday.
And the Celtics chief will now tap into the former Blues captain’s expertise to help win the race to take over from Roman Abramovich.
A preferred bidder could be announced by the middle of next week and a deal completed by the end of the month.
The former England international is part of the True Blues group, which has now aligned itself to Pagliuca’s bid to buy the £3billion-rated club
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Chelsea Women reach FA Cup final
Chelsea’s women’s side have cruised into the FA Cup final.
The Blues secured their place in the finale with a 2-0 win over Arsenal’s ladies in the semi-finals.
Goals from Guro Reiten and Ji So-yun gave Emma Hayes’ side the win.
Chelsea’s men’s side will be hoping they can also get into the competition’s final when they face Crystal Palace today.
Chelsea given Haaland boost
Bayern Munich have ruled out a move for Chelsea transfer target Erling Haaland.
Bayern chief Oliver Kahn admitted the German side would love to sign the Borussia Dortmund striker.
But he admitted Bayern can’t afford Dortmund’s release clause for Haaland.
Kahn said: “Haaland? I don’t think we would be doing our job properly if we didn’t consider such a young striker.
“He’s an excellent striker and a very interesting player for the future. But financial dimensions [of a deal] are beyond our imagination.”
Tuchel issues Loftus-Cheek warning
Thomas Tuchel has told Ruben Loftus-Cheek to believe in himself more.
Tuchel said: “He has everything, but he has heard it for so many years, he has heard it too much.
“He needs to trust himself. It is not a matter of over-confidence. It is the opposite.
“He needs to feel the confidence in his body and in his ability to do this not once, twice but three, four, ten, 20 times in a row.”
Eden Hazard is staying put
Eden Hazard has no intentions of leaving Real Madrid despite interest from Chelsea and Arsenal.
That’s according to the winger’s brother, Kylian who claims his sibling still has a point to prove with Los Blancos.
Kylian told RTL Sport: “He’s not going to let Real go until he’s proven he’s the strongest there.
“He’s proven himself at every club he’s been to, and for me, he doesn’t want to leave.
“I don’t think he’s going to leave. If the president wants him to leave, and he knows he has no chance to play, then I don’t think that he will stay. But I can assure you, he will do everything to prove he is the best player at Real Madrid.”
Tuchel on Real Madrid loss
Thomas Tuchel thinks like Chelsea still won against Real Madrid despite crashing out the Champions League at the hands of the Spanish giants.
He said: “We won. We won with an excellent performance and the attitude, investment, mentality, everything was on top level, what we needed.
“We got the result that was even enough to go through and we didn’t make it so it is disappointing and sad. It still needs a bit of time to digest.”
Vieira talks Chelsea game
Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira has told his stars that they’re in for a shock if they think Chelsea are mentally damaged after losing to Real Madrid.
He said: “If we are thinking that mentally they will be disappointed about the Madrid game, or the Madrid game having an impact on them, that is the biggest mistake we can make.
“Those clubs, those players they aim to win something every year and of course the FA Cup is what’s left on the table and they will do the maximum to try to win it.”
Tuchel on Crystal Palace threat
Thomas Tuchel has admitted Crystal Palace will give his Chelsea side a challenge when they meet in the FA Cup.
He said: “The constant level on which they are playing, high level of energy, commitment.
“They are playing throughout the season in the same way. It is a big belief, a real team effort, very close to the coach.”
It’s not Wright
Shaun Wright-Phillips has blasted his former club Chelsea for not allowing loanee Conor Gallagher to play in today’s FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.
Speaking to Metro he said: “I don’t agree with the fact that loan players can’t play against their parent team. I’ve never agreed with it.
“For me, if you think he’s that good then play him in your team, give him his shot to show what he’s capable of.”
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CHELSEA’S new owner is set to be revealed, after the deadline passed for potential bidders to put their offers on Roman Abramovich’s table.And three of the four consortiums who are in a bidding have placed offers of around £3 billion in cash and with no debt leveraged against the club.
The Ricketts-Griffin-Gilbert Group have pulled out, revealing they could not get on board with the “unusual dynamics around the sales process.”
Chicago Cubs owner Joe Ricketts was seen as a controversial figure nevertheless, and there were even protests about his links.
Stephen Pagliuca has announced NBA chairman Larry Tanenbaum as co-managing partner in his bid, with John Terry also part of the takeover attempt.
Also on his team are ex-Disney CEO Bob Iger & journalist Willow Bay, Facebook Co-Founder Eduardo Saverin & businesswoman Elaine Saverin; B Capital co-founder Raj Ganguly.
On the transfer front, Antonio Rudiger’s exit is seeming more imminent following the Blues’ disappointing Champions League exit.
Keep up to date with all of the latest updates from the takeover in our live blog…
Tuchel on Europe elimination
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel revealed the way in which his team went out of the Champions League in midweek “feels a bit bitter”.
Tuchel admitted: “We are all a bit in between. Confidence wise, I think it’s a huge boost but it’s a disappointment to go out of the Champions League at the quarter-final.
“Not in a big drama, but it’s still a disappointment because we feel we could’ve been one of the four teams in the semi-final.
“It was a fantastic performance at the Bernabeu and it stays like this. But it feels a bit bitter. Too many mistakes got punished by individual quality.
“We’ve got some training time now before our Sunday match and we will use it to sweat it out and be ready for Sunday”
Tuchel on Guehi and Livramento
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has stood by the club’s decision to sell Crystal Palace ace Marc Guehi and Southampton’s Tino Livramento last summer.
Tuchel revealed: “It’s a decision we took together and we are happy about these decisions
“You cannot go back and reflect, because at the point where we took the decision it was the right thing to do given the circumstances.
“For Tino Livramento, for example, we had a plan and we preferred a loan but he saw his future to go and the situation was then better to agree to a sale.
“For Marc it is a fantastic development and it’s very hard or maybe even impossible to say that if we kept him he would have been better, worse or the same because maybe he needed exactly that.
“Maybe he needed the change of environment, maybe he needed a different club, maybe he needed a bigger role and more minutes to develop his full potential”
Palace injury news
Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira will already be without Conor Gallagher for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
Both Michael Olise and Tyrick Mitchell are facing a race to be fit in time to start.
The two players have been suffering from knocks, and have returned to training just days before the clash.
Vieira said: “We have Tyrick and Michael, who have had some training on the field individually yesterday and a little more today.
“Of course then we have to wait until tomorrow to see any reaction but they will only get involved in the game if they are 100 per cent fit”
Luk who’s back
Chelsea have received a major injury boost as Romelu Lukaku is back in training, according to SunSport’s Andy Dillon.
Lukaku has missed the last two games because of an Achilles injury as well as a dip in form.
But the striker joined the squad in a full session and could be fit for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.
The Cup is the Blues’ last shot at a trophy this season and comes just five days after the club was left heartbroken by their dramatic exit from the Champions League quarter-finals
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Next Steven Gerrard?
Monaco star and Chelsea transfer target Aurelien Tchouameni has been compared to Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard by the Ligue 1 side’s sporting director Paul Mitchell.
Mitchell told Tuttosport: “He is a complete midfielder, very fast and physically strong, he reminds me of Steven Gerrard.
“He is already a top player despite being only 22, but if we want to become a top club, then we should not sell him.
“We are an ambitious club. Everyone, from President [Dmytri] Rybolovlev to coach Niko Kovac is ambitious here.
“However, we’ll assess the situation at the end of the season. The player is under contract until 2024 and his transfer value is the one of a top player.
“Everything is expensive in Monte Carlo, let’s say that Tchouameni is as expensive as the Grand Casino”
Fran Kirby ruled out
Chelsea star Fran Kirby has been ruled out for the “foreseeable future” as she is suffering from fatigue.
The Blues’ manager Emma Hayes said: “I think, forget the athlete, just a human being, and she’s struggling and we have to get to the bottom of that. I don’t think Fran will be available for club and country until that happens.
“I’m not withholding, because I don’t have anything to tell you, because we haven’t got to the bottom of it and until we get to the bottom of it and until we understand some of the underlying reasons for that fatigue, I’d just be speculating. So we’re going through a process of elimination to try and determine why she’s struggling.
“We need to give the time to find the right support so that we can come up with a diagnosis and then with diagnosis, you can come up with strategies. So right now, I don’t have any answers. What I know is that she’s not available for club or country and she won’t be for the foreseeable future”
Tchou and go
Real Madrid are reportedly in pole position to sign Monaco star Aurelien Tchouameni, in what would be a huge transfer blow for Chelsea.
The Blues have been heavily linked with a summer move for Thouameni following his standout displays in Ligue 1 this season.
The West Londoners are claimed to have identified the midfielder as the long-term successor to N’Golo Kante.
Thomas Tuchel’s side have been keeping tabs on the 22-year-old for months, though they are aware they also face competition from Liverpool.
But according to AS, Real are determined to secure the France international’s signature.
They claim Tchouameni is getting ‘closer and closer’ to linking up with Los Blancos with talks between the two parties advancing in recent weeks
Vieira on Gallagher
Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira believes Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher’s absence from the FA Cup semi-final will cost him.
Vieira said: “I don’t know if it’s a bad rule but what makes me think it’s not the best rule is that the only one who will lose is Conor.”
Before adding: “Playing this kind of game with this importance, that’s the experience that players are missing and I’m disappointed for him because he’s played all of the games so far.
“If someone deserves to be part of the semi-final it’s him because of his performances.
“The decision for Chelsea to send him on loan is for him to play these kind of games and we have the opportunity to play an important game, a game that would give him more confidence and belief.
“Since he’s been with us he’s been fantastic and for him not to have a chance to get involved in that game, it’s frustrating for his development”
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Tuchel on Gallagher
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed he apologised to Crystal Palace loanee Conor Gallagher over the midfielder being ruled out of this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final.
Tuchel said: “I had the chance to speak to Conor and I could also see his frustration.
“We met some weeks ago, I think after the international break by coincidence in a restaurant and had a chat and the subject came up and I apologised because I know how competitive he is and I like him a lot.
“I know his character very well and it was a pleasure to have him here in pre-season. That’s the way it is.
“We play to win the game and the rules were clear when we made the loan and I can totally understand [Patrick] Vieira and also the disappointment of Conor.
“But these were the rules when we did the loan and we don’t want to suffer from our rules”
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace preview
Chelsea are set to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley this Sunday.
Ben Chilwell is out for the long haul after picking up a season-ending knee injury back in November.
Callum Hudson-Odoi is also out for this one through an Achilles injury, with manager Thomas Tuchel saying he has a few more weeks on the treatment table.
Romelu Lukaku missed the Champions League match at Real Madrid with an Achilles problem of his own, but may harbour hopes of playing some part this weekend.
Palace aces Will Hughes, Michael Olise and Tyrick Mitchell are all doubts for manager Patrick Vieira, while Nathan Ferguson is out.
The same goes for Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher, who can’t play against his parent club
Ricketts exit reminder
The Ricketts family have released a statement confirming they will NOT be submitting a final bid for Chelsea.
A statement read: “The Ricketts-Griffin-Gilbert Group has decided, after careful consideration, not to submit a final bid for Chelsea F.C.
“In the process of finalising their proposal, it became increasingly clear that certain issues could not be addressed given the unusual dynamics around the sales process.
“We have great admiration for Chelsea and its fans, and we wish the new owners well”
Joh Terry reminder
Chelsea legend John Terry will play a key role in Steve Pagliuca’s bid to become the next owner, writes SunSport’s ANDREW DILLON.
Pagliuca won Terry’s backing just 24 hours before final offers were submitted yesterday.
And the Boston Celtics chief will now tap into the former captain’s expertise to help win the race to take over from Roman Abramovich.
A preferred bidder could be announced by the middle of next week and a deal completed by the end of the month.
Terry is part of the True Blues group which has now aligned itself to Pagliuca’s proposal to buy the £3billion-rated club
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Three offers in for Chelsea
American bidders Steve Pagliuca and Todd Boehly, plus the Brit consortium of Lord Seb Coe and Martin Broughton, have all lodged their final offers to buy Chelsea.
Yesterday was the deadline for final bids to be submitted, and the Evening Standard claim all three parties did so without any problems.
The consortium led by the controversial Ricketts family pulled out of the running today after disagreements regarding the structure of the deal between those backing the bid.
US merchant bank Raine Group are now set to review the offers.
Swansea keeping tabs on Ampadu
Championship side Swansea are reportedly tracking Chelsea youngster Ethan Ampadu.
The versatile defender is currently on loan at Venezia in Serie A.
And Football League World report the Swans could make a move for the Welshman in the upcoming transfer window.
Boss Russell Martin is said to have identified 22-year-old Ampadu as a perfect fit for his long-term plans at the club.
You’re Alv-ing a laugh?
Former Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has reportedly turned down a move to Arsenal because he is still haunted by his Stamford Bridge nightmare.
According to La Sampa via Tutto Juve, Morata is unwilling to return to London following his nightmare spell at Chelsea.
Morata joined the Blues in 2017 from Los Blancos, but was shipped off to Atletico on an initial loan deal in January 2019.
It has been reported that the player doesn’t have good memories of living in the English capital and has given a potential switch to the Emirates a ‘sharp no’.
Olise and Mitchell possibly injured
Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira will already be without Conor Gallagher for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
And both Michael Olise and Tyrick Mitchell are facing a race to be fit in time to start.
Both players have been suffering from knocks, and have returned to training just days before the clash.
Vieira said: “We have Tyrick and Michael, who have had some training on the field individually yesterday and a little more today.
“Of course then we have to wait until tomorrow to see any reaction but they will only get involved in the game if they are 100 per cent fit.”
Ken Griffin “vocal” in Chelsea exit
According to reports, US billionaire Ken Griffin was “vocal” in his desire to pull out of the running to buy Chelsea.
Griffin had teamed up with the Ricketts family and fellow billionaire and Dan Gilbert in the hope of buying the club.
But the Ricketts family announced earlier they intended not to lodge a final bid to take over the Blues.
And CBS claim it was Griffin who made his intentions clear and wanted to pull out of the running.
SunSport understands the three parties failed to reach an agreement on the structure of any potential deal, which led to its collapse.
Butland fires Chelsea Zaha warning
Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland has warned Chelsea “not many people” can stop Eagles talisman Wilfried Zaha when he’s firing on all cylinders.
Butland said: “Absolutely, he will be up for it, like we all will be. He is going to leave it all out there, which we all are.
“When Wilf does that, there are not many people in the world who can play like him or can stop him.
“I’m sure we will see the Wilf that we are seeing at the minute on Sunday. Wilf, along with the other incredible talents that we have got in the squad at the minute – we are a force to be reckoned with. It is not us playing Chelsea, they have got to play us as well.
“It will be a good occasion, and I am sure we are all going to bring it.”
Vieira dismisses Chelsea fatigue claims
Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira has insisted Chelsea will not feel a knock-on effect from their extra-time clash against Real Madrid when the two sides face off in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final.
The Frenchman said: “You don’t feel the tiredness when you play a semi-final of the FA Cup.
“Those Chelsea players will be ready for it and we have to be ready for the fight and look at how we want to approach the game, our game plan and perform on the day. We can’t count on Chelsea to be tired.
“Football-wise and the game they had I think was really good. They played well. It was a big game and they performed well. They can be unlucky and they were unlucky not to go to the semi-final.
“The physical aspect will not have an impact on Chelsea’s performance. We have to look at ourselves, at what we want to do to give ourselves the best chance.”
Man Utd ‘offer Rudiger contract’
Manchester United have reportedly offered Antonio Rudiger a contract ahead of a potential summer move.
The centre-back’s current Chelsea deal expires at the end of the season.
And sanctions at Stamford Bridge mean he is currently unable to pen a renewal.
Spanish outlet Sport claim United have tabled an offer to the 28-year-old, with the club keen to add defensive steel in the upcoming transfer window.
Sarri ‘desperate for Jorginho reunion’
Maurizio Sarri is reportedly eager to reunite with Jorginho at Lazio.
A number of Serie A clubs have been linked with the 30-year-old, who is out of contract at Chelsea next summer.
90min report Lazio are the latest to show their interest, with Jorginho unlikely to be offered a new deal at Stamford Bridge.
Jorginho played under Sarri at Napoli, before the Italian brought him with him to Chelsea in 2018.
And the Blues could opt to cash in on the midfielder this summer, sanctions permitting, instead of losing him for free in 12 months time.
Tuchel wants “clarity” on takeover
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel was quizzed by reporters in a press conference as to whether he had any updates regarding the takeover of the club.
The German denied any knowledge of the latest news in the process, hours before The Ricketts family pulled out of the running to buy the club.
Tuchel called for “clarity” on the matter, with the Blues manager hoping for a resolution in the near future.
When asked if he had heard anything, Tuchel said: “No, to be very honest, no.
“It’s still a process and I heard that talks are still ongoing with the government and I’m still not involved which I’m glad about I have to say as we have a lot to focus on here and that’s where our focus goes to.
“We hope things will be sorted out as soon as possible to have clarity but I can understand that it’s not that easy.”
Who’s left in Chelsea owner race?
The withdrawal of the Ricketts family from the race to buy Chelsea means there are just three contenders left in the running.
They are Americans Steve Pagliuca and Todd Boehly – both up against the combined Brit bid from Lord Seb Coe and Martin Broughton.
But it has been revealed Chelsea icon John Terry will play a key role in Pagliuca’s bid to become the club’s next owner.
And the Boston Celtics basketball boss will now tap into the legendary defender’s expertise to help win the four-way race to take over from Abramovich.
Terry is part of the True Blues group which has now aligned itself to Pagliuca’s proposal to buy the £3billion-rated club.
Ricketts exit not protest related
The decision for the Ricketts family to withdraw their bid to buy Chelsea is understood to not be related to fan-protests against them taking control of the club.
Chicago Cubs owners Tom and Laura Ricketts had partnered with US billionaires Ken Griffin and Dan Gilbert to form a consortium to buy the club.
But the reason for them pulling out of the running is thought to be due to the three parties failing to reach an agreement on the structure of any potential deal.
Ricketts family OUT of running
The Ricketts family backed group who had been exploring the option of buying Chelsea have released a statement confirming they will NOT be submitting a final bid for the club.
A statement read: “The Ricketts-Griffin-Gilbert Group has decided, after careful consideration, not to submit a final bid for Chelsea F.C.
“In the process of finalising their proposal, it became increasingly clear that certain issues could not be addressed given the unusual dynamics around the sales process.
“We have great admiration for Chelsea and its fans, and we wish the new owners well.”
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CHELSEA’S new owner is set to be revealed, after the deadline passed for potential bidders to put their offers on Roman Abramovich’s table.And three of the four consortiums who are in a bidding have placed offers of around £3 billion in cash and with no debt leveraged against the club.
The Ricketts-Griffin-Gilbert Group have pulled out, revealing they could not get on board with the “unusual dynamics around the sales process.”
Chicago Cubs owner Joe Ricketts was seen as a controversial figure nevertheless, and there were even protests about his links.
Stephen Pagliuca has announced NBA chairman Larry Tanenbaum as co-managing partner in his bid, with John Terry also part of the takeover attempt.
Also on his team are ex-Disney CEO Bob Iger & journalist Willow Bay, Facebook Co-Founder Eduardo Saverin & businesswoman Elaine Saverin; B Capital co-founder Raj Ganguly.
On the transfer front, Antonio Rudiger’s exit is seeming more imminent following the Blues’ disappointing Champions League exit.
Keep up to date with all of the latest updates from the takeover in our live blog…
Three offers in for Chelsea
American bidders Steve Pagliuca and Todd Boehly, plus the Brit consortium of Lord Seb Coe and Martin Broughton, have all lodged their final offers to buy Chelsea.
Yesterday was the deadline for final bids to be submitted, and the Evening Standard claim all three parties did so without any problems.
The consortium led by the controversial Ricketts family pulled out of the running today after disagreements regarding the structure of the deal between those backing the bid.
US merchant bank Raine Group are now set to review the offers.
Swansea keeping tabs on Ampadu
Championship side Swansea are reportedly tracking Chelsea youngster Ethan Ampadu.
The versatile defender is currently on loan at Venezia in Serie A.
And Football League World report the Swans could make a move for the Welshman in the upcoming transfer window.
Boss Russell Martin is said to have identified 22-year-old Ampadu as a perfect fit for his long-term plans at the club.
You’re Alv-ing a laugh?
Former Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has reportedly turned down a move to Arsenal because he is still haunted by his Stamford Bridge nightmare.
According to La Sampa via Tutto Juve, Morata is unwilling to return to London following his nightmare spell at Chelsea.
Morata joined the Blues in 2017 from Los Blancos, but was shipped off to Atletico on an initial loan deal in January 2019.
It has been reported that the player doesn’t have good memories of living in the English capital and has given a potential switch to the Emirates a ‘sharp no’.
Olise and Mitchell possibly injured
Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira will already be without Conor Gallagher for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
And both Michael Olise and Tyrick Mitchell are facing a race to be fit in time to start.
Both players have been suffering from knocks, and have returned to training just days before the clash.
Vieira said: “We have Tyrick and Michael, who have had some training on the field individually yesterday and a little more today.
“Of course then we have to wait until tomorrow to see any reaction but they will only get involved in the game if they are 100 per cent fit.”
Ken Griffin “vocal” in Chelsea exit
According to reports, US billionaire Ken Griffin was “vocal” in his desire to pull out of the running to buy Chelsea.
Griffin had teamed up with the Ricketts family and fellow billionaire and Dan Gilbert in the hope of buying the club.
But the Ricketts family announced earlier they intended not to lodge a final bid to take over the Blues.
And CBS claim it was Griffin who made his intentions clear and wanted to pull out of the running.
SunSport understands the three parties failed to reach an agreement on the structure of any potential deal, which led to its collapse.
Butland fires Chelsea Zaha warning
Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland has warned Chelsea “not many people” can stop Eagles talisman Wilfried Zaha when he’s firing on all cylinders.
Butland said: “Absolutely, he will be up for it, like we all will be. He is going to leave it all out there, which we all are.
“When Wilf does that, there are not many people in the world who can play like him or can stop him.
“I’m sure we will see the Wilf that we are seeing at the minute on Sunday. Wilf, along with the other incredible talents that we have got in the squad at the minute – we are a force to be reckoned with. It is not us playing Chelsea, they have got to play us as well.
“It will be a good occasion, and I am sure we are all going to bring it.”
Vieira dismisses Chelsea fatigue claims
Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira has insisted Chelsea will not feel a knock-on effect from their extra-time clash against Real Madrid when the two sides face off in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final.
The Frenchman said: “You don’t feel the tiredness when you play a semi-final of the FA Cup.
“Those Chelsea players will be ready for it and we have to be ready for the fight and look at how we want to approach the game, our game plan and perform on the day. We can’t count on Chelsea to be tired.
“Football-wise and the game they had I think was really good. They played well. It was a big game and they performed well. They can be unlucky and they were unlucky not to go to the semi-final.
“The physical aspect will not have an impact on Chelsea’s performance. We have to look at ourselves, at what we want to do to give ourselves the best chance.”
Man Utd ‘offer Rudiger contract’
Manchester United have reportedly offered Antonio Rudiger a contract ahead of a potential summer move.
The centre-back’s current Chelsea deal expires at the end of the season.
And sanctions at Stamford Bridge mean he is currently unable to pen a renewal.
Spanish outlet Sport claim United have tabled an offer to the 28-year-old, with the club keen to add defensive steel in the upcoming transfer window.
Sarri ‘desperate for Jorginho reunion’
Maurizio Sarri is reportedly eager to reunite with Jorginho at Lazio.
A number of Serie A clubs have been linked with the 30-year-old, who is out of contract at Chelsea next summer.
90min report Lazio are the latest to show their interest, with Jorginho unlikely to be offered a new deal at Stamford Bridge.
Jorginho played under Sarri at Napoli, before the Italian brought him with him to Chelsea in 2018.
And the Blues could opt to cash in on the midfielder this summer, sanctions permitting, instead of losing him for free in 12 months time.
Tuchel wants “clarity” on takeover
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel was quizzed by reporters in a press conference as to whether he had any updates regarding the takeover of the club.
The German denied any knowledge of the latest news in the process, hours before The Ricketts family pulled out of the running to buy the club.
Tuchel called for “clarity” on the matter, with the Blues manager hoping for a resolution in the near future.
When asked if he had heard anything, Tuchel said: “No, to be very honest, no.
“It’s still a process and I heard that talks are still ongoing with the government and I’m still not involved which I’m glad about I have to say as we have a lot to focus on here and that’s where our focus goes to.
“We hope things will be sorted out as soon as possible to have clarity but I can understand that it’s not that easy.”
Who’s left in Chelsea owner race?
The withdrawal of the Ricketts family from the race to buy Chelsea means there are just three contenders left in the running.
They are Americans Steve Pagliuca and Todd Boehly – both up against the combined Brit bid from Lord Seb Coe and Martin Broughton.
But it has been revealed Chelsea icon John Terry will play a key role in Pagliuca’s bid to become the club’s next owner.
And the Boston Celtics basketball boss will now tap into the legendary defender’s expertise to help win the four-way race to take over from Abramovich.
Terry is part of the True Blues group which has now aligned itself to Pagliuca’s proposal to buy the £3billion-rated club.
Ricketts exit not protest related
The decision for the Ricketts family to withdraw their bid to buy Chelsea is understood to not be related to fan-protests against them taking control of the club.
Chicago Cubs owners Tom and Laura Ricketts had partnered with US billionaires Ken Griffin and Dan Gilbert to form a consortium to buy the club.
But the reason for them pulling out of the running is thought to be due to the three parties failing to reach an agreement on the structure of any potential deal.
Ricketts family OUT of running
The Ricketts family backed group who had been exploring the option of buying Chelsea have released a statement confirming they will NOT be submitting a final bid for the club.
A statement read: “The Ricketts-Griffin-Gilbert Group has decided, after careful consideration, not to submit a final bid for Chelsea F.C.
“In the process of finalising their proposal, it became increasingly clear that certain issues could not be addressed given the unusual dynamics around the sales process.
“We have great admiration for Chelsea and its fans, and we wish the new owners well.”
Levi Colwill ‘in Chelsea plans’
Chelsea youngster Levi Colwill will reportedly have a role to play at Stanford Bridge next season.
The 19-year-old defender has impressed on loan at Championship side Huddersfield.
And according to 90min, the Blues believe Colwill has “all the attributes” to fight for a place in Thomas Tuchel’s side next season.
The news comes as a blow to Frank Lampard, with the Everton boss claimed to be keen on bringing Colwill to Goodison Park.
Credit: Getty
He’s not a Kepa
Reports suggest Juventus are eyeing a swoop for backup Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The Spaniard has started just four Premier League games this campaign.
According to Fichajes, Juve are keen on bringing the 27-year-old to Serie A.
And after his Carabao Cup final shocker, which saw him subbed on for penalties only to save none and miss his own kick, Chelsea could decide the time is right to part ways with the keeper.
Credit: Getty
Tuchel defends Guehi and Livramento sales
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has stood by the club’s decision to sell defenders Marc Guehi and Tino Livramento last summer.
He revealed: “It’s a decision we took together and we are happy about these decisions
“You cannot go back and reflect, because at the point where we took the decision it was the right thing to do given the circumstances.
“For Tino Livramento, for example, we had a plan and we preferred a loan but he saw his future to go and the situation was then better to agree to a sale.
“For Marc it is a fantastic development and it’s very hard or maybe even impossible to say that if we kept him he would have been better, worse or the same because maybe he needed exactly that.
“Maybe he needed the change of environment, maybe he needed a different club, maybe he needed a bigger role and more minutes to develop his full potential.”
Midfielder move Tchou and go
Real Madrid are reportedly in pole position to sign Aurelien Tchouameni – dealing Chelsea a huge blow in their pursuit of the Monaco midfielder.
Chelsea are claimed to have identified the youngster as the long-term successor to his French compatriot and international team-mate N’Golo Kante.
But according to Spanish outlet AS, Real are determined to secure the signature of the former Bordeaux starlet.
They state that Tchouameni is getting ‘closer and closer’ to linking up with Los Blancos with talks between the two parties advancing in recent weeks.
It has been said that his preference is to join the Bernabeu outfit as Real and Monaco now look to agree on a fee.
Monaco are understood to value their player at around £54million.
Credit: AFP
Tuchel – CL exit feels “bitter”
Thomas Tuchel has revealed the way in which his side went out of the Champions League in midweek “feels a bit bitter”.
The Blues overturned a 3-1 aggregate deficit at Real Madrid to lead 4-3, before being beaten in extra-time at the Bernabeu.
And Tuchel admitted: “We are all a bit in between. Confidence wise, I think it’s a huge boost but it’s a disappointment to go out of the Champions League at the quarter-final.
“Not in a big drama, but it’s still a disappointment because we feel we could’ve been one of the four teams in the semi-final.
“It was a fantastic performance at the Bernabeu and it stays like this. But it feels a bit bitter. Too many mistakes got punished by individual quality.
“We’ve got some training time now before our Sunday match and we will use it to sweat it out and be ready for Sunday.”
Lukaku back in Chelsea training
Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that apart from Ben Chilwell and Callum Hudson-Odoi, he has a full squad to choose from for the FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.
Romelu Lukaku missed the midweek trip to Real Madrid with an achilles injury, but has since returned to Chelsea training.
Tuchel said: “Yeah [everyone is okay], except for Ben Chilwell and Callum Hudson-Odoi, everyone seems to be okay.
“We still have two more trainings to go, so fingers crossed it will stay like this.
“Romelu was back in training yesterday. Let’s see if he has any reaction or not. So, let’s see if everyone is okay.”
Tuchel in Gallagher apology
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has revealed he “apologised” to Conor Gallagher during a chance encounter at a restaurant, with the Blues loanee unable to play in this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final.
The on-loan Palace man is not allowed to play against his parent club, and Tuchel said:
“I had the chance to talk to Conor, and I could see his frustration.
“We met some weeks ago after the international break by coincidence in a restaurant.
“We had a chat, then the subject came up, and I apologised because I know how competitive he is, and I like him a lot and know his character very well.
He added: “Yeah, it’s the way it is. We play to win the game, and the rules were clear when we made the loan.
“I can totally understand Patrick Vieira and Conor’s disappointment, but these were the rules and we don’t want to suffer from the rules.”
Jorginho in Juve contract demand
Reports in Italy suggest Jorginho could be on his way back to Serie A this summer, with the midfielder already in talks with Juventus.
La Gazzetta dello Sport claim the 30-year-old is demanding around £115,00-a-week to sign for the club.
Jorginho’s current Chelsea deal expires in 2023, but sanctions at Stamford Bridge mean he is unable to sign a new deal.
And the uncertainty at Chelsea as the sale process rumbles on has allowed Juventus the chance to kick off contract discussions.
Credit: Getty
Butland eyeing FA Cup success
Chelsea head into Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace as strong favourites, but Eagles keeper Jack Butland is not shirking the challenge.
Ahead of the London derby at Wenbley, the goalkeeper said on facing Chelsea: “It’s a massive opportunity.
“Given our performances in the league and against top teams this year, we have shown as a club that we’re not afraid to play the big guns and do well against them.
“It is what we are. We are not just happy to be here – we’re looking to win every game. That is something that the manager and we as players are determined to do.”
Rom in “further PSG discussions”
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku is reportedly set to hold more talks with PSG regarding a potential summer exit.
The £97.5million man is “gutted” with how his return to Stamford Bridge has played out, according to GiveMeSport.
And after reports suggested Lukaku was in talks with the French giants earlier this week, it’s now claimed he’s set to hold further discussions with the club.
PSG are on the lookout for a new striker, with Kylian Mbappe set to depart in the summer.
And Blues flop Lukaku could be the man they turn to.
Silva breaks silence after Madrid KO
Thiago Silva was one of the few Chelsea players not to take to social media immediately after the heartbreaking Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid.
Now though the defender has been able to mull things over, and taken to Twitter and Instagram, admitting the last few days have been “very hard” following the defeat.
He said: “These last two days have been very hard.
“Despite the disappointment, I’m very proud of our team, the ability to overcome obstacles and move forward. Come on @ChelseaFC!!
“We still have a lot of work ahead, always with a lot of courage, determination and respect for this jersey.”
More on Pagliuca’s Chelsea bid
A source close to the Pagliuca bid told SunSport: “John Terry is a Chelsea icon and is revered to this day as Captain, Leader, Legend in the eyes of the fans.
“We were grateful to receive the support of the True Blues Consortium and encouraged they have validated our commitment to a compelling bid to buy this great club.
“We don’t take that support lightly — fans are the lifeblood of the club — and we hope to work with the group, with John, and other fan groups.”
Pagliuca, 67, broke his silence on Tuesday to reveal a grand vision for Chelsea if he gets the nod for a takeover.
He guarantees the club will stay put and redevelop its ground and continue the good work being done by the academy which produced JT in the past.
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