Transfer News

CHELSEA’S hunt for a new manager has taken a new twist after the partner of favourite Julian Nagelsmann put her new job on hold.Nagelsmann’s girlfriend Lena Wurzenberger was due to start a new position working for German car giants BMW in Munich on April 1.
Julian Nagelsmann’s partner is former newspaper reporter Lena WurzenbergerCredit: Getty
She has put her career switch on hold as Nagelsmann’s future remains up in the airCredit: Getty
But it has emerged that the former newspaper reporter has put the career change on ice while speculation mounts that her boyfriend is now the frontrunner to take over at floundering Chelsea this summer.
Nagelsmann has already held talks with the Stamford Bridge hierarchy within the past week and more are planned as the club whittles away at their shortlist.
Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is also among the candidates along with ex-Spain boss Luis Enrique.
Nagelsmann, 35, was sacked by Bayern Munich in March and replaced by ex-Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel.
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Wurzengerger got the job with BMW while he was still coach with the Bundesliga leaders, only for him to be axed a short time later.
Chelsea currently have Frank Lampard working as interim manager until the end of the season with the club in disarray.
They were knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday by holders Real Madrid.
And they are 11th in the Premier League, facing a season out of European competition altogether unless they can turn things around.
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Lampard is the fourth man to be picking the team this season under new American owners led by chairman Todd Boehly.
He has come under fire for overseeing a massive £600million transfer spend which has done nothing to improve the team’s performances.
Lampard, 44, who managed the club for 18 months from July 2019, is keen to take the job on a full-time basis for the second time when his current deal expires this summer.
Wurzengerger got the BMW role while Nagelsmann was still at BayernCredit: Getty More

TOTTENHAM are among Levi Colwill’s many admirers.The England Under-21 centre-back has impressed on loan from Chelsea at high-flying Brighton this season.
Colwill has made the step up to the Premier League this season having spent last year at Huddersfield in the ChampionshipCredit: Getty
He has featured in 15 games in all competitions and forged a strong partnership with Albion skipper Lewis Dunk.
Colwill will return to Stamford Bridge in the summer and assess the situation under whoever Todd Boehly appoints as the next Blues permanent manager.
Chelsea may well want to keep the 20-year-old who is one of the most highly-rated young defenders in the country.
But with no European football next term boosting their coffers after this term’s £600million splurge, Boehly may be forced to sell some of his homegrown stars.
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Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher are two of the most likely to move on – but Colwill will also have plenty of suitors should Chelsea decide to cash in.
The classy centre-back is being monitored by most of the Premier League, including Spurs.
But Chelsea reportedly have no intention to let the star go.
Tottenham are in need of reinforcements at the back having shipped 45 league goals this term, which is the worst of all the top 13 clubs in the table.
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The North Londoners themselves are waiting to hire their own new permanent boss, having seen ex-Blues chief Antonio Conte leave last month.
Any transfer business could wait until after a new man is appointed but work is still being done in the meantime over potential business. More

JOE COLE has called on former club Chelsea to sell 10 PLAYERS this summer.The Blues were dumped out of the Champions League on Tuesday night as a 2-0 quarter-final second-leg defeat to Real Madrid saw them exit 4-0 on aggregate.
Chelsea have endured a dismal first season under new owner Todd BoehlyCredit: Getty
Chelsea cult hero Cole feels the club need a mass exodusCredit: Getty
They have also slipped to 11th in the Premier League table, 17 points adrift of the top four.
That is despite spending £600million across the last two transfer windows, bloating their squad to more than 30 players since the arrival of new owner Todd Boehly.
Managers Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter have also been sacked this season, with Frank Lampard placed in interim charge until the end of the campaign.
And Cole, who won three Premier League titles with Chelsea, feels reducing the size of the squad has to be a priority this summer.
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When asked on BT Sport whether the absence of European football could be a plus for the Blues next season, he said: “It helped Antonio Conte’s team. Chelsea finished 10th and then won the league after Conte came in.
“I’m not saying I think Chelsea are going to win the league next season – there’s more than enough strong teams above them – but without a doubt it will help the team.
“But it will only help if Chelsea offload at least 10 players. I think at least 10 players need to be trimmed from the squad.”
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Despite Chelsea’s dreadful campaign, former England striker Michael Owen does not believe the problems at Stamford Bridge are as serious as some fear.
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But he agreed with Cole that a culling of the squad needs to take place.
He said: “I don’t think there’s as many problems as you might think.
“With a little bit of a clear-out, a smaller squad and some stability, it’s almost impossible to think they will finish in the bottom-half again next season.
“They will bounce back and be a top-six team, I’m certain of that. All is not lost – they’ve got some great players, there’s a lot going for this club.
“They just need to sort out some of these problems but it could be a lot worse.”
Chelsea will look to end a run of seven games without a win when they host Brentford on Wednesday.
Lampard has lost all four matches since taking interim charge earlier this month.
Boehly has overseen a chaotic first 12 months as Chelsea ownerCredit: Alamy More

CHELSEA hero Oscar hinted he is open to return to the Premier League just six years after his departure.The playmaker spent five successful years at Stamford Bridge where he won two Premier League titles as well as the Europa League and League Cup.
Chelsea hero Oscar is keen on a Premier League return in the near futureCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Oscar enjoyed immense success at Chelsea as he won two Premier League titlesCredit: AFP – Getty
Oscar now plays in China for Shanghai Port and is loving life in AsiaCredit: AFP
However, the ex-Brazil international made the bold decision to try his luck in China when he was only 26 years old and joined Shanghai Port.
The 31-year-old still plays in the Chinese Super League and is loving life in Asia.
So much so that the Brazilian is not eager to come back to Europe any time soon.
However, the ex-Internacional star admits a return to the Premier League would be “really cool.”
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Oscar told Premier League Brasil when asked if he still has a dream of returning to Europe: “I don’t think so.
“As I played for Chelsea for five years, I fulfilled my dream of playing for a big club in Europe. But if you paint something in a cool team, of course, we can think about it.
“The Premier League is my favourite league. It’s where I played, where I adapt very well, there’s a game similar to mine, a dynamic and very fast game, so it was a league that I really enjoyed playing.
“If I could go back to the Premier League, that would be really cool. I also like Italy, I have an Italian passport.”
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Oscar amassed a total of 38 goals and 36 assists in 203 appearances at Chelsea.
The versatile midfielder was one of the first major names to move to China and the league’s lucrative contracts.
Oscar has registered a total of 52 goals and 95 assists in 176 appearances in Shanghai. More

THIAGO SILVA has criticised the strategy of Chelsea owner Todd Boehly following their Champions League exit.The Blues suffered another 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening as they went down 4-0 on aggregate in their quarter-final tie.
Thiago Silva ripped into Chelsea’s strategy after the defeat to Real MadridCredit: TNT Sports Brazil
Todd Boehly has overseen a chaotic 12 months at Stamford BridgeCredit: Alamy
It effectively brings an end to Chelsea’s hopes of achieving anything this season as they sit 11th in the Premier League table, 10 points adrift of a European place with just seven games remaining.
The turmoil on the pitch comes after a £600million spending spree across last summer and January.
Boehly, who only arrived last year, has already sacked managers Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, appointing Frank Lampard until the end of the campaign, only for the Chelsea legend to lose his first four games in charge.
And Silva has lamented the chaos that has ensued at Stamford Bridge over the past 12 months.
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Chelsea crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday nightCredit: PA
Speaking to TNT Sports Brazil, he said: “I think the first step has been made, an incorrect step, but it has been made.
“We can’t be blaming the managers if we don’t take responsibility. It’s a hard period for the club, with a lot of indecision.
“Change of ownership, new players arriving – we had to increase the size of the changing room because it didn’t fit the size of the squad.
“A positive point is that there are amazing players in the squad but on the other hand there are always players that are going to be unhappy.
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“There is always going to be someone upset because not everyone can play. The manager can only pick 11 from a squad of 30-something – that’s tough.
“Some can’t make the squad, we signed eight in January, we need to stop and put a strategy in place otherwise next season we could make the same mistakes.”
Silva was also quick to stress a new manager may not have the required impact.

He added: “Everybody talks too much about replacing managers. I think we, as players, must also take responsibility.
“We have had three managers this season, plus a fourth with Bruno where we failed to win. We have lost today and with Lampard, we have failed to win.
“Everybody is talking about the manager but we must look at what has been done wrong and try to change.”
Silva’s Chelsea contract runs until 2024 and he is expected to stay at the club next season.
But with the Blues set to fail to qualify for the Champions League, the South American has admitted the Real Madrid defeat could have been his final game in the competition.
He said: “It might have been my last match in the Champions League.
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“I have only one year left on my contract and my career is reaching the end. It’s a very sad day.
“But I think we must continue working to try to win as many matches until the end of the season.” More

CHELSEA’S finishing came back to haunt them in last night’s Champions League exit to Real Madrid.The Blues crashed out of Europe after failing to score one single goal against the defending champions.
Chelsea failed to score a single goal in two legs against Real MadridCredit: Getty
Todd Boehly is surely on the hunt for a new striker this summerCredit: Alamy
The 4-0 aggregate scoreline was compounded by a series of fluffed opportunities in the return leg at Stamford Bridge.
The likes of Marc Cucurella and N’Golo Kante spurned glorious chances to give Chelsea a lifeline.
And a new striker has to be top of Todd Boehly’s shopping list this summer.
Despite his £600million spend, Chelsea’s top scorer this season is No10 Kai Havertz with just nine goals.
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The two out-and-out strikers in the squad, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Armando Broja, boast just four goals between them.
And even Romelu Lukaku’s underwhelming haul of 15 last term is now looking good.
Christopher Nkunku, scorer of 17 goals this season and 35 last year, is already on his way to west London.
And there could yet be a permanent move for Joao Felix, despite only scoring twice since his January loan from Atletico Madrid.
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But in terms of a proper No9, just who can Chelsea go for when the transfer window opens?
Here, SunSport’s Anthony Chapman looks at seven options for the Blues…
HARRY KANE — TOTTENHAM
THE England captain, 29, looks certain to leave his boyhood club this summer.
Spurs failed to deliver the silverware promised under Antonio Conte.
And despite their position in the table, they are almost in as much turmoil as Chelsea — but without the promise of better days ahead.
Harry Kane looks certain to leave Tottenham this summerCredit: Getty
Kane is a proven goalscorer, netting 273 times for Spurs with a further 55 goals for his country.
A move to Stamford Bridge would be highly controversial given the rivalry between Tottenham and Chelsea.
But with Kane’s contract expiring in 2024, a mega-money offer from Boehly could turn Levy’s head and provide him with ammunition to rebuild Spurs’ squad for their new manager.
VICTOR OSIMHEN — NAPOLI
THE Nigerian, 24, is possibly the most sought-after player in world football this summer.
Osimhen has netted 26 goals in a stellar season for Napoli.
And he is certain to lead the Italians to their first Serie A title since 1990.
Osimhen has made no secret of his desire to play in the Premier League.
Victor Osimhen is enjoying a fine season for NapoliCredit: Getty
Indeed, his idol is none other than Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.
Osimhen’s sleek combination of power and pace could work wonders with Chelsea’s creative players, who make plenty of chances but have nobody in the box to put them away.
Osimhen is sure to come with a hefty price-tag this summer.
But with Boehly willing to spend big on the right player, and Osimhen thought to not be concerned by a lack of Champions League football for one year, this transfer could be the most likely one on the list.
IVAN TONEY — BRENTFORD
THE newly-capped Three Lions star has enjoyed a stellar rise up the ranks throughout his career.
Toney, 27, spent seven years plying his trade in League One before Brentford took him to the Championship and then the Premier League.
He has 66 goals in less than three years for the Bees, including 19 this term.
Ivan Toney has gone from strength to strength in his careerCredit: Getty
And Toney has the physical and technical hallmarks of a classic Chelsea No9.
The one thing going against the ace is a potential upcoming ban for betting.
But Toney has proven his class in the top flight time and again.
And with Brentford always ready to negotiate for the right price, he could come easier than other names at bigger clubs.
MARCUS THURAM — EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
SON of France legend Lillian, Thuram has found his feet this season with 16 goals for Frankfurt.
Capable of playing as a striker or winger, he has also become an integral part of France’s national squad.
Thuram, 25, has improved his composure with each passing season.
And the best news is that he will be available for absolutely nothing after deciding to quit Frankfurt on a free transfer when his contract expires in June.
Marcus Thuram is available on a free transfer this summerCredit: AFP
But Chelsea will have to move fast if they want to secure Thuram’s signature.
That’s because Man United, Tottenham, Newcastle, Juventus and Inter Milan are all plotting to offer him a deal.
And Chelsea may have go over-the-odds with wages as they will not be able to offer Thuram any European football.
RANDAL KOLO MUANI — EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
ANOTHER Frankfurt forward who has shined this season.
Muani, 24, has established himself as a top forward in Europe with 20 goals in his first season with the Germans.
Like Thuram, he too has become a regular in Didier Deschamps’ France side.
And he is now thought to be a top target for Bayern Munich as Thomas Tuchel looks for a striker.
Kolo Muani would certainly fit in well at Chelsea after developing an all-roundness to his game.
Randal Kolo Muani has 20 goals in his first season with FrankfurtCredit: AFP
However, Man Utd have made enquiries into his availability at the behest of Erik ten Hag.
And incredible reports last month claimed the Red Devils are ready to pay an eye-watering £105m fee.
Those are the kinds of numbers Boehly would be expecting to deal with regarding someone like Kane or Osimhen.
And it could be just too much to take, even for the splurge-happy American.
OLLIE WATKINS — ASTON VILLA
The former Brentford man, 27, has been on fire since the return of football after the World Cup.
Watkins has struck 14 times in the league alone for Villa.
And after moving to a central role, he has helped Unai Emery’s men storm the table into a European spot.
Ollie Watkins has fired Villa up the tableCredit: Getty
Watkins hit 14 goals in his first season for Villa too.
And Brentford fans have not forgotten his plunder of 25 strikes when they narrowly missed out on promotion in 2020.
Despite not being the biggest name around, Watkins could be exactly what Chelsea need up top — hard graft, a strong mentality and an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time.
But Villa will be loathe to let him go, and having paid £33million themselves could demand an over-the-top fee.
FOLARIN BALOGUN — ARSENAL
STRANGER things have happened in football.
But this one cannot be ruled out for several reasons.
Balogun, 21, has taken Ligue 1 by storm with 18 goals for loan side Reims.
He’s been putting the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to shame all season.
Folarin Balogun has set the French league alight this termCredit: AFP
But despite impressing, Balogun is not guaranteed a spot in Arsenal’s squad next season — let alone the starting XI.
Mikel Arteta already boasts numerous players up front and may struggle to find room for Balogun.
The youngster does not want to be loaned out again though.
And that could open the door for Chelsea to make an offer Arsenal cannot refuse.
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It doesn’t hurt that Balogun is from across the pond either, despite having 13 caps for England’s U21s.
And especially if Christian Pulisic is sold, Boehly could jump at the chance to have another fellow American in his side. More