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      Arsenal and Chelsea told how much it will cost to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney in January transfer window

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      BRENTFORD rate Arsenal and Chelsea target Ivan Toney at £100milion.And the Bees aim to keep the England striker until at least the summer.
      Ivan Toney could be chased by a string of top clubs in JanuaryCredit: Reuters
      Toney’s eight-month ban for betting offences ends on January 16 – just as he enters the last 18 months of his contract.
      Sky Sports say the Bees value the once-capped star in the same bracket as Europe’s elite hitman because of his goalscoring consistency.
      And that might be a blow to his host of admirers – mainly Prem rivals.
      The title-chasing Gunners and Maurcio Pochettino’s Blues are both seeking a natural scorer.
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      But it’s thought Brentford’s “bigger” London rivals are weighing up bids for Toney of “only” around £50m-£60m.
      The ex-Peterborough ace has reportedly hinted he’s keen to move.
      However, one consideration might be his hopes of making the Three Lions’ squad for Euro 2024.
      Brentford will surely offer him regular football, whereas he would have to decide if a fresh start at a new club would be a risk or a bonus.
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      Bayern Munich paid Tottenham £104m for England skipper Harry Kane, 30, in the summer.
      And Three Lions’ midfielder Declan Rice, 24, joined Arsenal from West Ham for £105m.
      So it’s understandable that even in pre-season Bees boss Thomas Frank said of Toney: “£100m plus?… What would you pay for a striker that guarantees you 20-plus goals? 
      “And this is 20 goals for a mid-table club. What can he do in a bigger club?” More

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      Todd Boehly splashed £1BN and sacked two bosses… but Mauricio Pochettino urges frustrated fans to ‘trust the process’

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      MAURICIO POCHETTINO says Chelsea must learn from their mistakes as he battles to build a squad capable of competing at the highest level.And the head coach does not want “blame” or “division” at the club right now.
      Todd Boehly has overseen a turbulent time at ChelseaCredit: Rex
      Mauricio Pochettino wants fans to keep faithCredit: Getty
      Chelsea, who face Blackburn in the Carabao Cup, have spent more than £1billion on players since new chairman Todd Boehly took over last year.
      Boss Pochettino is determined to shape a team to win the Premier League but the Blues have been accused of paying over the odds and wasting money.
      Chelsea were also forced to ditch a large number of stars in the summer to comply with Financial Fair Play spending rules.
      Eyebrows were raised when they splashed £35million on Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly and up to £62m on Marc Cucurella.
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      Left-back Cucurella is steadily improving but Koulibaly has already gone and is now with Saudi side Al-Hilal. Boehly has also sacked two bosses in Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.
      Pochettino said: “The important thing is to trust the ideas, the judgment and analysis of why ­certain things have not happened.
      “To help the organisation to be better and to improve and not to make the same mistakes again.
      “The most important thing is to learn from the mistakes.
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      “When things go against you, you have to try to resist them and try to survive. You have to be quiet and be strong.
      “And not to lose your balance, because it is easy to blame or say something that is going to affect other people and lead to division in the club.”
      Boehly has also had to unravel the mess he inherited, with one-time club record signing Romelu Lukaku, who cost £97.5m but is now on his second loan in Italy.
      Pochettino is struggling with a lengthy injury list, too, with defender Wesley Fofana out for the season following knee surgery and highly-rated forward Christopher Nkunku sidelined until December.
      At least captain Reece James returns in the fourth-round tie at home to Championship Blackburn, his first start since the opening game of the season against Liverpool on August 13.
      Pochettino said: “Those are the circumstances that we are living in now and we need to be responsible about that and be strong in our judgments, because it is us that are going to be judged.” More

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      Chelsea handed major injury boost as Mauricio Pochettino confirms return of ‘cursed’ star & reveals why another is in LA

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      CHELSEA boss Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed Reece James will return from injury and start against Blackburn Rovers.The Blues take on Blackburn on Wednesday at Stamford Bridge in the Carabao Cup’s Round of 16 as Pochettino looks to win the trophy amid a poor Premier League campaign.
      Reece James will start for Chelsea against Blackburn Rovers in the Carabao CupCredit: Reuters
      Chelsea ace Ben Chilwell was sent to Los Angeles for a change of sceneryCredit: Getty
      Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is set for a major injury boostCredit: Getty
      The West Londoners have slumped to 11th place in the Prem but are hoping their fortunes will change with James set to start for the first time since the season opener against Liverpool in August.
      The Chelsea captain recently overcame a hamstring injury and made two cameos off the bench against Arsenal, where he played six minutes, and Brentford, where he got 23 minutes, this month.
      Pochettino said: “I can confirm he [James] is going to start. The captain is ready.
      “It’s good for the team, it’s good for him to start from the beginning. We can see after, checking always how he is performing.”
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      This also poses as a major boost that could relieve Chelsea from the so-called “Reece James curse” as the England international has not won a Premier League game in 2023.
      If Pochettino’s side beat Blackburn then that won’t break the 23-year-old’s hoodoo, but it could lead to the “curse” being finally lifted on Monday at Tottenham.
      The Argentine tactician also confirmed Ben Chilwell is undergoing rehab on a hamstring injury in Los Angeles.
      Chilwell was sent to LA to change scenery amid his prolonged rehabilitation.
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      Pochettino added: “The plan was to change the scenario for him. That happens in different clubs.
      “When it’s a long period of recovery, sometimes we change the scenarios for them.
      “Twelve hours here every day, it’s a fantastic training ground, but sometimes the player needs to change the atmosphere and the scenario to keep their recovery in a good way.
      “It’s still difficult to know when he will be back.” More

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      ‘Croatian Messi’ once chased by Chelsea and Liverpool joins minnows on free transfer after being axed by Jose Mourinho

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      THE ‘Croatian Messi’ has joined a third-tier team in his hometown after his axe by Jose Mourinho’s Roma.Ante Coric, 26, was expected to become one of football’s top talents after bursting on to the scene as a youngster.
      Ante Coric was dubbed the ‘Croatian Messi’ but was released by Roma this summerCredit: Silvia Lore/NurPhoto
      He was wanted by the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in England while Barcelona and Bayern Munich were also keen.
      The Zagreb-born midfielder spent four years as an academy star at Red Bull Salzburg before returning to Croatia to join Dinamo Zagreb.
      There, he was named in Gazzetta Dello Sport’s 2017 ’30 Best Under-20 Players in Europe’ and won four league titles, leading to his Lionel Messi comparisons.
      And he was even part of the final 23-man Croatia squad at Euro 2016.
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      But in 2018, Roma won the race to sign him, paying £5.2million to land the rising star on a five-year deal.
      However, Coric struggled to make the step up and managed just three first-team appearances.
      The playmaker then went on loans to Almeria, VVV-Venlo, Olimpija Ljubljana and Zurich.
      And he was left unemployed in the summer when his Roma contract expired with no extension offered by Mourinho’s Serie A giants.
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      But now the four-cap senior Croatia international has found a new club.
      Coric put pen to paper with Kustosija, who play in Croatia’s Druga NL third tier.
      The Zagreb-based outfit currently sit seventh in the table and play at a stadium with a capacity of just 2,550 – a far cry from Roma’s iconic 70,000-seater Stadio Olimpico.
      Coric made a name for himself at Dinamo Zagreb as a youngsterCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      One of his three Roma appearances was in the Champions League against compatriot Luka ModricCredit: AFP or licensors More

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      Real Madrid ready to sign Kepa in huge swap transfer just three months into loan with Chelsea set to make massive loss

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      REAL MADRID are ready to do business with Chelsea over a permanent deal for Kepa Arrizabalaga less than three months into his loan.But the Spanish giants will not pay more than £17.5million for the keeper who cost the Blues a world-record £71.6m five years ago.
      Kepa Arrizabalaga is on course to join Real Madrid permanentlyCredit: Getty
      Kepa, 29, is back home in Spain as season-long cover for another ex-Chelsea stopper – injured Thibaut Courtois.
      The player makes no secret of his desire to leave for good.
      And he is also prepared to take a cut on his £176,000-a-week wages to make it happen.
      Kepa has 20 months left on his contract at Stamford Bridge.
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      Real Madrid top LaLiga and have lost just one game with Kepa in goal for them this season.
      Chelsea have brought in Robert Sanchez as Kepa’s replacement.
      And Madrid will also offer their current No2 – Ukrainian Andriy Lunin – in a part-exchange to help smooth a deal.
      Chelsea took midfielder Mateo Kovacic as part of the transfer which saw Courtois move to Madrid in 2018.
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      Courtois is expected to miss the rest of the season with his serious knee injury.
      But Kepa is ready to compete with the hugely-regarded 6ft 7ins Belgian next season when he is fit again.
      Chelsea have Sanchez in goal but are looking at bringing in extra cover and also are interested in Aaron Ramsdale.
      The England international has seen his position as Arsenal’s first-choice keeper undermined by the arrival of David Raya from Brentford.
      Carlo Ancelotti has been impressed with the Spanish stopperCredit: Rex
      Thibaut Courtois is likely to miss the rest of the season through injuryCredit: Getty
      Kepa endured a tough time at Stamford BridgeCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

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      Chelsea could face points deduction as Premier League launch investigation over two big name transfers

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      CHELSEA could face a points deduction after the Premier League launched an investigation into the transfers of Willian and Samuel Eto’o.Both players were signed during Roman Abramovich’s reign from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala.
      The Premier League are investigating Chelsea’s signing of WillianCredit: Getty
      Samuel Eto’o and Willian were signed from Anzhi Makhachkala in summer 2013Credit: PA:Empics Sport
      It is alleged that payments were made to “Russian entities” that were separate to any transfer fee, according to The Times.
      And it is claimed a payment to a player’s family is also being looked into.
      The Premier League launched an investigation into financial affairs during the Abramovich era in August, including transfers.
      And the deals to sign Willian and Eto’o in 2013 are believed to have been flagged by Chelsea’s current owners.
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      The separate payments were discovered during the due diligence process Todd Boehly went through to buy the club in May 2022.
      It is understood Chelsea then alerted the FA, Premier League and Uefa to the irregularities.
      Chelsea said in a statement: “These allegations pre-date the club’s current ownership. They concern entities that were allegedly controlled by the club’s former owner and do not relate to any individual who is presently at the club.
      “Chelsea FC’s ownership group completed its purchase of the club on May 30, 2022. During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions during the club’s previous ownership.
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      “Immediately following the completion of the purchase, the club proactively self-reported these matters to all applicable football regulators.
      “In accordance with the club’s ownership group’s core principles of full compliance and transparency the club has proactively assisted the applicable regulators with their investigations and will continue to do so.”
      If found guilty of a rule breach the Premier League could impose sanctions on the club.
      That could include a fine or a points deduction, with Chelsea already agreeing to a £8.5m settlement payment with Uefa for “instances of potentially incomplete financial reporting under the club’s previous ownership”. More

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      Thiago Silva drops major retirement hint with Chelsea star weighing up transfer to ‘final club’

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      THIAGO SILVA has admitted his football retirement could be right around the corner. The Chelsea defender, 39, has led a distinguished 21-year career.
      Thiago Silva has admitted his career could soon be coming to an endCredit: Getty
      However, the Brazilian has revealed he is more than aware that the curtain will soon come down on his career.
      His confession also came with a suggestion that this season could be his last with Chelsea.
      According to Sky Italy, via Fabrizio Romano, he said: “The end of my career is getting closer… it’s not easy.
      “You’ve to think about when you want to retire, where do you go as final club, the family, my kids play at Chelsea.
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      “I’m just focused on enjoying my final year of contract at Chelsea.
      “I don’t know what’s gonna happen next year but I’m very happy with my career.”
      Silva joined the Blues in 2020 and helped them to win the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup in 2021.
      Silva has won numerous honours with the likes of AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
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      He won the Serie A with Milan in 2011 and won the Ligue 1 in every season bar one while in France.
      With the Brazil national team, Silva has won Bronze and Silver medals at the Olympics and won the Copa America in 2019.
      His club career has spanned almost 800 appearances, and when counting his national caps as well he has appeared in more than 900 games.
      Chelsea have seen 127 of these appearances, including ten so far this season. More

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      Chelsea ‘could make transfer move’ for £39million striker as Premier League legend gives brutal Nicolas Jackson verdict

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      CHELSEA may be able to sign Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez for a bargain price of £39million.The Blues current No9 Nicolas Jackson has come under scrutiny by Peter Crouch who gave a brutal verdict on the forward.
      Chelsea could sign Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez for £39millionCredit: Getty
      Chelsea’s current No9 Nicolas Jackson has faced scrutinyCredit: Rex
      TNT Sports pundit Peter Crouch slammed Jackson for his performance this seasonCredit: Getty
      Gimenez, 22, has been on the Blues’ radar for some time as the club are on the hunt to improve their forward line.
      The Eredivise star has scored 13 goals in 10 league appearances this term.
      And the Mexican forward could be a cheaper option for Chelsea, who are also interested in £65 million rated Ivan Toney and Europe’s most sought-after striker Victor Osimhen.
      According to Fabrizio Romano £39million could be enough to seal a deal for Gimenez.
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      Gimenez’s bargain price-tag is appealing for the Blues who are desperate to reinforce their front line in the January transfer window.
      After “speaking to direct sources” the transfer guru claimed the 22-year-old does not have an agent and is letting his father take the lead – which would make the deal easier for Chelsea.
      Following their humiliating 2-0 defeat to Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, many are doubting the performance of their main striker Nicolas Jackson.
      Premier League legend Crouch was one to have his say on the forward – who he believes does not posses the qualities to lead the Blues attack.
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      The pundit told TNT Sports 2: “Nicolas Jackson, let’s be honest, is not going to be the answer long-term.
      “He does a lot of great work outside the box, but is he going to get you 15-20 goals? I don’t think so.”
      Jackson, 22, lead the line for Mauricio Pochettino’s side against Brentford but he could not deliver anything in the Bees penalty box.
      The Blues now have just one victory in their last 13 league games at home, which is an alarming record for the team.
      Perhaps it is time for Chelsea to splash more cash and sign the Feyemoord sensation for the Premier League. More