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      Nine stars Chelsea could be forced to sell as club fears they must raise £100m before ‘unofficial transfer deadline day’

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      CHELSEA’S rivals reckon the Blues may have to flog a host of players by June 30 in order to fall in line with FFP rules, according to reports.The Blues have spent north of £1bn on transfers since Todd Boehly’s takeover in 2022.
      Mauricio Pochettino’s ‘billion pound bottle jobs’ lost to Liverpool in Sunday’s Carabao Cup finalCredit: Rex
      Chelsea stars were left distraught by their Wembley defeatCredit: Getty
      Results haven’t followed on the pitch, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side languishing in the bottom half of the table and being labelled “blue billion pound bottle jobs” by Gary Neville after Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat.
      The Prem’s profit and sustainability rules have begun to take effect this season, with Everton having been deducted six points, reduced from an initial 10 yesterday.
      In order to avoid falling foul like the Toffees did, Chelsea may be forced to sell a number of players, including key first teamers.
      According to the Telegraph, the Blues’ Premier League rivals reckon that the West Londoners may have to desperately sell stars before the June 30 deadline in order to raise £100million.
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      This date falls mid-way through Euro 2024 and the Copa America, which could lead to a chaotic early summer window at Stamford Bridge.
      Chelsea insiders are claimed to feel relaxed about the situation, stressing that big sales will only be required in order to bring in more talent.
      But the Blues’ rivals feel that their resolve will surely be tested.
      The West Londoners’ woes will quickly be eased by the £28m owed to them by Newcastle for Lewis Hall, with the Toon having an obligation to buy in the youngster’s loan deal.
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      Lewis Hall’s Newcastle loan will be made permanentCredit: Getty
      Romelu Lukaku’s deal possesses a £37m release clauseCredit: AFP
      Ian Maatsen will be available for £35mCredit: Rex
      Forgotten man Romelu Lukaku agreed to a £37m release clause when he penned a new deal ahead of joining Roma on loan last summer.
      With the Belgian, 30, having notched 16 goals so far this season, the Blues will hope to receive north of £30m for the striker they paid £99.5m to bring back to the club in 2021.
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      Ian Maatsen was allowed to join Borussia Dortmund on loan in January, having started just once in the Prem during the first half of the season.
      Chelsea will hope to receive the 21-year-old’s £35m release clause in full this summer, should he leave on a permanent deal.
      With regards to homegrown players when it comes to FFP calculations, there is no reduction in the value of sales because of the price of their initial contracts.
      This could see captain and talisman Reece James be allowed to leave for a bumper fee this summer, particularly given his injury woes.
      Should he become available Manchester City would likely show an interest, as they hunt a long-term Kyle Walker replacement.
      In a similar boat to James could be stand-in skipper Conor Gallagher.
      A Cobham product like James, Gallagher has attracted interest from Tottenham during the last two transfer windows.
      The midfielder is happy at Stamford Bridge but is not close to penning a new deal, with his current contract set to expire in under 18 months.
      Trevoh Chalobah, who has returned to fitness in recent weeks, could represent another homegrown sale, and has been the subject of interest from Nottingham Forest and Bayern Munich.
      Reece James has battled numerous injuries in recent seasonsCredit: Rex
      Conor Gallagher has attracted strong interest from TottenhamCredit: Rex
      Trevoh Chalobah has returned from injury in recent weeksCredit: Rex
      Armando Broja played 19 times for the Blues this season prior to joining Fulham on loan in January.
      Should he play well for the Cottagers, Broja could command another sizeable fee at the end of the season.
      Marc Cucurella has been arguably Boehly’s biggest flop, having arrived from Brighton in a bumper £62m deal in the summer of 2022.
      He has never found his form at Stamford Bridge, and the Blues may try to cut their losses this summer.
      Finally, Chelsea will try to find a permanent taker for goalkeeper flop Kepa Arrizabalaga.
      The Spaniard, 29, surprisingly joined Real Madrid on loan last summer.
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      He has struggled at the Bernabeu, however, and with Thibaut Courtois to return from an ACL injury, Kepa is unlikely to move to Madrid permanently.
      The 13-cap goalkeeper, who cost the Blues a staggering £72m in 2018, will still have a year remaining on his contract at the end of the season.
      Armando Broja joined Fulham on loan in JanuaryCredit: Rex
      Marc Cucurella has struggled for form in West LondonCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Kepa Arrizabalaga is unlikely to stay at Real MadridCredit: Rex More

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      Arsenal and Chelsea ‘handed major boost in summer transfer window as Victor Osimhen priorities revealed’

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      ARSENAL and Chelsea have reportedly been handed a boost in their pursuit of Napoli star Victor Osimhen.The striker has been heavily tipped to leave Italy this summer.
      Victor Osimhen is expected to leave Napoli this seasonCredit: Rex
      He has attracted interest from some high profile clubs including Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.
      But Arsenal and Chelsea are said to be leading the race to sign Osimhen, who is prioritising a move to the Premier League, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.
      It is claimed Osimhen is seeking around £250,000 a week, which Arsenal and Chelsea would be willing to pay.
      And it appears the Nigeria international would be open to joining both clubs as it would allow him to fulfill his dream of playing in the Prem.
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      However PSG also have Osimhen “very high” on their wishlist and could try to sign him if Kylian Mbappe is sold.
      Mbappe looks set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer and PSG would be able to use his wages to fund Osimhen’s salary.
      Osimhen, 25, reportedly has a release clause worth £111million that Chelsea are willing to activate.
      Mauricio Pochettino’s side remain “relaxed” over a potential transfer even after Osimhen signed a new lucrative contract with Napoli.
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      In December Osimhen put pen to paper on a new deal tying him down to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium until 2026.
      Osimhen has scored ten goals in 20 games this season, registering three assists.
      Premier League clubs look at Victor Osimhen as a summer move from Napoli looms More

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      ‘I really wanted to leave & join PSG’, says ex-Chelsea star as opens up on life at the Blues under Frank Lampard

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      FORMER Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has opened up about his struggles under Frank Lampard at Chelsea.The German defender played for the Blues between 2017 and 2022, making 203 appearances for the club.
      Rudiger has revealed he did not like playing under Frank LampardCredit: Alamy
      Rudiger wanted to move to Paris to get away from LampardCredit: PA
      He then left the side to join Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer of 2022.
      Despite being seen as Chelsea’s best centre-back by the time he left, Rudiger lost his spot in the Chelsea side under Frank Lampard, who has managed the club for two separate spells now.
      Lampard’s first stint in charge coincided with Rudiger’s time at the club and during that time, the German international found himself behind Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen in the pecking order.
      Speaking on the matter, Rudiger said: “To be honest, I still can’t say exactly what happened back then. That’s part of football. 
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      “Maybe he [Lampard] had other ideas or saw other players better. But the good thing about football is that the answer is on the pitch and I think I gave the perfect one. 
      “Nothing like that has ever happened in my career. I even played under Lampard again at the end of his tenure. Let me put it this way: if it doesn’t fit at some point, then it doesn’t fit anymore. But no footballer in this world loses on purpose. 
      “I really wanted to leave. I wanted to leave. I wanted to join Paris Saint-Germain, that was my wish.”
      The defender was desperate to play for Thomas Tuchel in Paris, who he describes as an “honest manager”.
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      He was full of praise for the struggling Thomas Tuchel, howeverCredit: Reuters
      As fate would have it, Tuchel would be the man that replaced Lampard in West London in January 2021.
      His reign at the Blues was a remarkable success, with the German manager guiding Chelsea to a Champions League triumph that season.
      I played under Frank Lampard but we didn’t get on at all… if we met on a night out we’d probably get into a fight
      He also led Chelsea to a Club World Cup the following season, Rudiger’s final one at the club.
      But the German tactician is having a less successful time of it at Bayern Munich since taking over this time last year.
      He was dismissed from his role last week following a run of three straight defeats, although he will continue to manage the side until the end of the season.
      The manager will no doubt be grateful for Rudiger’s praise during a season that has been full of bad PR. More

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      How Chelsea’s midfield is coming good right on time for Carabao Cup final after summer transfer tussle with Liverpool

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      LIVERPOOL seemed to be the clear winners in their midfield battle with Chelsea.But the long list of Kop crocks gives the Blues’ £100m men the chance to have the last laugh in the Carabao Cup Final.
      Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez: brothers in arms in the Chelsea midfieldCredit: Getty
      Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, both individually and as a partnership, are finally threatening to live up to their massive fees.
      Liverpool’s two-for-the-price-of-one approach has paid dividends to date, with £60m Dominik Szoboszlai and £40m Alexis Mac Allister underpinning their fine first half of the season.
      But with Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones among the Reds stars ruled out of Sunday’s showpiece, it is Mauricio Pochettino’s side who look the stronger.
      Caicedo’s early struggles at Stamford Bridge made it look like Liverpool had had a lucky escape when the Ecuador international rejected them (as did fellow Blues signing Romeo Lavia).
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      Szoboszlai, on the other hand, hit the ground running, confidently taking on Steven Gerrard’s old No 8 shirt and giving all-action displays shot through with top-drawer technique.
      And of the two Argentinian World Cup winners who made big Premier League moves in 2023, Mac Allister was by far the more impressive.
      The Reds’ new signing arrived at Anfield with two and half seasons of Premier League experience behind him and it showed.
      In comparison, Fernandez looked like a little boy lost at times, having only arrived at Benfica in the summer of 2022 ahead of his sensational move to Chelsea the following January..
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      Both he and Caicedo, Mac Allister’s former Brighton team-mate, showed flashes of their quality. But not consistently and rarely in the same game, which made it difficult for Chelsea to impose themselves.
      The pair suffered so much abuse after the 4-1 league defeat at Liverpool last month that they came off social media. Which was probably for the best, as an even more embarrassing defeat, 4-2 at home to Wolves, followed.
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      But the FA Cup Fourth Round replay win at Aston Villa felt like a turning point – although Pochettino’s revamped side had already witnessed a few false dawns.
      Against a high-flying Villa side, Caicedo and Fernandez bossed the game and made their opponents’ much-praised midfield look very ordinary indeed.
      Fernandez stole the headlines with the brilliant third goal he scored from a free kick.

      Caicedo, though, was just as impressive, though, in a less eye-catching way.
      The bad old days seemed to have returned immediately in the first half against Crystal Palace, and Chelsea were arguably fortunate to come away with a 3-1 win.
      Manchester City will claim the Blues were lucky to escape with a point from the Etihad last weekend.
      But there was a new steel about Pochettino’s team against the champions. Caicedo was guilty of a clumsy foul but Fernandez gave an outstanding performance that suggested his struggles were finally behind him.
      Conor Gallagher has been in excellent form despite doubts over his Chelsea futureCredit: Alamy

      A word here for a Chelsea midfielder not signed for big money.
      The Blues resisted the temptation to cash in on homegrown Conor Gallagher in January and he has continued to reward them.
      Gallagher’s availability for the first major final of the season, while Liverpool Academy graduate Jones sits it out, may prove crucial.
      Pochettino should have all three of his first-choice central midfielders available, while Reds boss Jurgen Klopp will have just one.
      And even Mac Allister has looked vulnerable at times this season when he has not had the athleticism of Szoboszlai and/or Jones alongside him.
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      A trio of Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch and Mac Allister is weaker than Caicedo-Fernandez-Gallagher.
      Sunday is the perfect opportunity for the £100m men to answer their critics by giving Chelsea’s big-spending owners something shiny to show for their investment. More

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      ‘I just don’t have the energy’, admits Ben Chilwell as he embraces new John Terry role in youthful Chelsea squad

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      LEGENDS are in short supply at Chelsea right now — but in Ben Chilwell they have a solid vice-captain and leader.To the extent that, at 27, he is one of their oldest players — and with that comes the task of leaving his young team-mates in no doubt about job requirements at Stamford Bridge.
      Ben Chilwell says he is relishing his role as a leaderCredit: Getty
      After John Terry called on him to be an ‘elder statesmen’Credit: PA:Press Association
      ‘Captain, Leader, Legend’ is a phrase synonymous with Chelsea’s iconic former skipper John Terry. And a banner with that simple message hangs on permanent display at the ground.
      Terry was the embodiment of what was once a football factory for trophies which is now finding silverware harder to come by.
      It says so much about modern Chelsea that Chilwell signed less than four years ago but is now considered an elder statesman and one of only a few players with a trophy to his name.
      And even with nearly three years until his 30th birthday and not a grey whisker in his well-trimmed beard, the left-back admits he is starting to feel like a father figure
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      Chilwell said: “There are occasions where I actually do feel old. Even in the gym before we start the sessions and all the younger lads are messing about.
      “That used to be me messing about and sometimes I am sitting there feeling a bit too tired to be getting involved. I’d love to, but I don’t have the energy.
      “Those are the moments where maybe I just feel like yeah, maybe I am a bit more mature than I was a few years ago. I’d still love to be one of the kids but I just don’t have the energy to join in 24/7.
      “When I joined Chelsea, I came in as one of the younger players and pretty much in the last few years it has flipped to being one of the older players.
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      He is now one of the few players in the Chelsea dressing room to have won a trophyCredit: Getty
      “I still like to see myself as a young player, still trying to grow and learn. But I have taken on the role as one of the more experienced players and as one of the only players here that has won trophies it is important for me to try to emphasise how important it is at the club to all the new players why silverware is so important.
      “I guess it is such a young team now I am one of the more experienced players. It’s definitely something I have welcomed and try to take on as much as possible.
      I played under Jose Mourinho when Chelsea had seven national captains in starting XI… I know what truly made him special
      “When you join the club, there’s a lot of outside noise that Chelsea wins and in the past has won a lot of trophies.
      “That’s not something we need to be drilling into the boys. It’s more the levels and the standards that are required. As soon as that’s nailed, with the talent that we have, the trophies will follow.”
      Only Raheem Sterling, 29, and 39-year-old Thiago Silva are older than Chilwell in Chelsea’s squad.
      Slowly and unsteadily, Chelsea’s young squad is finding its feet. Two steps forwards and one back.
      But there is tangible progress under boss Mauricio Pochettino. If there was not, they would not be playing in their first cup final for nearly two years tomorrow.
      They have not managed more than three wins on the trot this season.
      Just over three weeks ago, they were spanked 4-1 by tomorrow’s opponents Liverpool.
      But earlier this month, they crushed Aston Villa — one of the season’s form teams — 3-1 away.
      Pochettino is piecing things together but his predecessor last season, Frank Lampard, Chelsea’s record goalscorer who spent 13 years winning trophies there, noted that the ferocious competitive streak in the dressing room had evaporated since his day.
      I’d still love to be one of the kids but I just don’t have the energy to join in 24/7.Ben Chilwell
      Chilwell said: “I can see why he said that but it wasn’t intentional or something we wanted to happen but a lot of circumstances contributed to that last season.
      “When I joined we had a lot of leaders here. We knew the standards. As a new player, I knew what was expected in training or in a game.
      As a senior player, I have to take on that role of setting the standards every day. In the Premier League now there are no easy games. 38 tough games and the cups.
      “You can’t have weeks in training where you just get through the week and turn up at the weekend. You can’t get away with that in this country.
      “It’s important that myself and the other leaders, whether old or young, lead the way. We have seen that a lot of the young boys have stepped up this year. Maintaining the levels that are expected at Chelsea. That is important.”
      Pochettino is reviving the mothballed sense of competition within the camp in his own way — with a recent example from last weekend just to underline it.
      The defender attended London Fashion Week ahead of the cup finalCredit: Getty
      The club have not won a trophy since their 2021 Champions League triumphCredit: Reuters
      Chilwell said: “Er, the Man City game when I didn’t play the ball over the top to Raheem Sterling. The ground was packed and I still heard him from the touchline.
      “He is a very demanding manager, which is what you want of course. There will be training sessions and games where personally you think you have done well and then he will pull you in and tell you what you could have done better.
      “Then there will be other games when maybe you didn’t think you did very well and he does. It’s a balance really.
      “Nobody gets ahead of themselves if they have a few good games, likewise, if things aren’t going our way he keeps the spirits high.
      “There’s an accountability. It’s not all dressing it up and making it look better than what it is. He keeps spirits high and lets you know if you are not up to standard.
      “He knows the players he can dig out and he knows the ones he needs to put an arm around. That’s the sign of a good manager.
      “Not everyone has the same personality — some need digging out and some need an arm around the shoulder
      “If I am not good in training or not up to standard I would expect the manager to have a word with me whether that is just me and him, or in front of anyone. It is fine with me
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      The Chelsea vice-captain has praised his relationship with Mauricio PochettinoCredit: Getty
      “It doesn’t fire me up, I just expect it if I am not up to standard in training or in matches.
      “I wouldn’t want to be able to get away with it. I don’t welcome it but I accept it.” More

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      Chelsea star Ben Chilwell defends ‘controversial’ dress sense after bold Fashion Week outfit trolled by Jack Grealish

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      BEN CHILWELL defended his dress sense as ferociously as he does the Chelsea goal.The left-back drew light-hearted stick from England pal Jack Grealish this week after being pictured in an outlandish blue and white diamond print tank top — with nothing underneath.
      Ben Chilwell says he liked his attire, especially as it was in Chelsea coloursCredit: Rex
      Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, as well as Spurs legend Gareth Bale and his wife Emma Rhys-Jones, were put in the shade by Chilwell’s clobberCredit: Getty
      Some might think Jack Grealish has questions to answer himself as he’s known for the occasional brash fashion statement, such as modelling this footwearCredit: The Mega Agency
      Chilwell, 27, said of his London Fashion Week look: “It was controversial but you have to stand out.
      “I didn’t want to fit in. I wanted to wear something more ‘out there’.
      “Show my personality a little bit. It was obviously in Chelsea colours as well.
      “So, yes, it was a good evening and, personally, I liked my outfit.”
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      Chilwell was on duty as an ambassador for fashion house Burberry and insists he has no regrets.
      But Manchester City star Grealish joked: “Tell Chilly to keep his jacket on next time.”
      The fashion bashin’ comes as Chilwell prepares to swap his battle from what to wear to how to win silverware.
      Chelsea face Liverpool in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final – targeting their first trophy since Champions League glory in 2021.
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      LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 19: Ben Chilwell attends the Burberry Winter 2024 show during London Fashion Week on February 19, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Burberry)Credit: Getty
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      And Blues’ supremo Todd Boehly is flying in to watch their first cup final since he took over the club nearly two years ago.
      The American was last seen at a Chelsea game on January 13, a 1-0 home Premier League victory over Fulham.
      Mauricio Pochettino targets first trophy under Todd Boehly with Chelsea facing Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final
      Boehly’s predecessor, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, missed the club’s previous seven Wembley trips after failing to have his UK visa renewed.
      That meant he was not on the scene for Chelsea’s most recent domestic trophy triumph – the 1-0 FA Cup final win over Manchester United in May 2018. More

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      I played under Jose Mourinho when Chelsea had SEVEN national captains in starting XI… I know what truly made him special

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      MICHAEL BALLACK has explained why Jose Mourinho was so special to play under – when Chelsea had SEVEN national skippers.The midfield legend says the “provocative” Portuguese boss “stood out” from other managers and persuaded the German to snub Manchester United.
      Jose Mourinho made a huge impression on Michael BallackCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Ex-Bayern Munich hero Ballack won the Premier League once and the FA Cup three times with Chelsea from 2006-10.
      And even though Mourinho departed Stamford Bridge for the first time in 2007, the 98-cap ace singled him out for a glowing tribute.
      Incredibly, Ballack featured for a Blues side containing six fellow national captains whose status was as iconic as his own.
      That exalted list contained England’s John Terry, Ivorian Didier Drogba, Ghanaian Michael Essien, Ukraine superstar Andriy Shevchenko, Czech keeper Petr Cech and Nigerian John Obi Mikel.
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      And interviewed on Jeff Stelling’s Football’s Greatest, Ballack said: “This is something really special, to play with six or seven national team captains.
      “That was an interesting group. But as I mentioned, with Jose Mourinho there was a coach who stands out. 
      “You know, of all these characters, he was leading the team in a certain way. 
      “You trusted him. It’s really important that the team trusts the coach.
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      “He was also a nice guy – a little provocative, in a nice way. 
      “But in the dressing room he was really a nice guy, and he was funny. He was a family guy. He was really special.”
      Mauricio Pochettino targets first trophy under Todd Boehly with Chelsea facing Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final
      Mourinho famously called himself “a special one” when meeting the press after Chelsea lured him from Porto in 2004.
      The tag stuck as he moved on to boss Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Chelsea again, Man Utd, Tottenham and, most recently, Roma.
      Now, at the age of 61, Mourinho is in a rare spell out of management.
      But having won the Champions League twice and eight domestic titles amid a huge haul of silverware, he’ll expect to find another top-level role – should he want one. More

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      Chelsea ‘in shock transfer swoop for Liverpool’s £85m star Darwin Nunez to solve striking woes’

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      CHELSEA were interested in signing Liverpool star Darwin Nunez last summer, according to reports.The Uruguayan, 24, endured an inconsistent first season at Anfield following his £85million switch from Benfica.
      Darwin Nunez has been in red-hot form for LiverpoolCredit: Alamy
      Nunez was admired by Paul Winstanley during Chelsea’s sporting director’s stint at Brighton.
      According to The Times, Winstanley enquired as to whether the striker would be available for the Blues to sign last summer.
      It had been rumoured that Liverpool were open to flogging Nunez, with a potential switch to Atletico Madrid in exchange for Joao Felix having been mooted.
      As it happened the claims were false, with the Reds rebuffing the Blues and keeping hold of their hard-working forward.
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      Jurgen Klopp’s faith in Nunez has largely been rewarded this term.
      The odd painful miss aside, Liverpool’s No9 has enjoyed a productive season with his side fighting on all fronts.
      Nunez has scored 13 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions, including nine in the Premier League, while also laying on 11 assists.
      He missed the Reds’ 4-1 win over Luton earlier this week and is a doubt for this Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Chelsea.
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      The Blues, meanwhile, have persevered with Nicolas Jackson up top this term.
      Jackson, 22, has managed nine goals in 27 appearances for the Blues since his £32million switch from Villarreal, including seven in the Prem.
      Watch Michael Owen’s reaction to Darwin Nunez goal as ex-Newcastle and Liverpool star caught on camera after late winner
      Boss Mauricio Pochettino also gave Armando Broja a go up front, before loaning him out to Fulham on Deadline Day.
      The Argentine has Christopher Nkunku to call upon again following a lengthy injury, with the Frenchman having scored against Liverpool in the league last month. More