4-2-2-2: a formation we could see more of?

Thomas Tuchel surprised us all on Wednesday evening in the 2-0 victory against Tottenham in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge. Having been previously reluctant to veer too far from his tried and tested back-three system, Tuchel lined up with a back-four for (almost) the first time in his reign as Chelsea boss. A Kai Havertz opener followed by an unfortunate Ben Davies own goal saw Chelsea cruise to victory, in a game that really could have ended four or five goals to nil. Antonio Conte had no answer to Tuchel’s setup, one which may well be a glimpse of the future for Chelsea fans. 

Hakim Ziyech was the key man for Chelsea’s system on Wednesday, filling in at right-wing-back as the team maintained its back-three shape off the ball. He pushed high up the field when Chelsea pressed Tottenham’s block and tucked in as the right-sided number 10 once Chelsea regained possession. This is very similar to how Christian Pulisic was used when Chelsea played Leeds at Elland Road last season, an indicator that the setup had been in Tuchel’s mind long before Wednesday’s game. Mason Mount, meanwhile, dropped in to form a midfield-three out of possession, and pushed forward into the left-sided 10 position when Chelsea had the ball, as illustrated below. Essentially; 3-5-2 off the ball, 4-2-2-2 on it. This meant that our defensive solidity was maintained, whilst, in attack, Tottenham’s midfield two was overwhelmed by the combination of Chelsea’s four midfielders and Havertz, who dropped deep to help link play. A masterstroke from Tuchel. 

The evolution of Tuchel’s hybrid setup (Source: Twitter – @AliRadhi)

We should, however, consider the fact that Conte and Spurs will not have been prepared for this, setting up to deal with the back-three formation Chelsea had used in every game so far this season rather than the new-look back-four. With time to mount an adequate game plan, teams might use more central midfielders, or target the right-hand-side of Chelsea’s defence with overloads in order to expose Ziyech’s defensive weaknesses, for instance. For this reason, I think Chelsea fans may have to wait until next season to see this setup used more consistently. As links to West Ham’s Declan Rice and AS Monaco’s Aurélien Tchouaméni persist, it is looking ever more likely that Chelsea will sign an athletic defensive midfielder in the coming summer transfer window. This would allow Tuchel to use a similar system, but without the necessity for either of the number 10s to fill in at wing-back, as the defensive cover provided by a physical midfield signing would prevent Chelsea from being exposed on the counter.

Given that the 4-2-2-2 seems a realistic possibility for Chelsea next season, it’s worth considering some potential winners and losers that would come out of this formation change. 

Winners:

Romelu Lukaku – The best spell in Lukaku’s career came at Inter Milan under Antonio Conte, where the Belgian rose from being a ridiculed flop at Manchester United to being widely accepted as one of the world’s best strikers. Paired with Lautaro Martinez, he was extremely influential on the right side of the front two, using his speed and power to dominate the right channel. Much of this season, he has been used as a lone striker, a static reference point, constantly with his back to goal. We didn’t need Romelu to tell us for us to realise this clearly doesn’t suit him, as many began to claim, “we play better without him”. Using him this way is reminiscent of his time at Manchester United, where José Mourinho struggled to maximise his potential. As seen in the first half against Spurs, the 4-2-2-2 allows Lukaku to return to his favoured right channel, where he is more able to impact the game, by both hovering on the last line of defence and finding the runs of his strike partner.

Havertz’ movement in behind for his goal v Spurs (Source: Twitter – @PremLeaguePanel)

Kai Havertz – Though Havertz also favours this right channel, he is very comfortable playing on the left of the front two, something he proved in Wednesday night’s game. Since Tuchel was appointed, it has become clear that Havertz should be played high up the pitch, and this split striker formation allows Chelsea to make the most of his intelligent movement in the box. The small matter of dealing with Lukaku means that defences leave more space for him to drift into, just as we saw with his early goal against Spurs. Equally, when he’s not the lone striker there is less of a need for him to be a presence on the last line of the defence, meaning he can use his ability to drop deep and link play. This constitutes a new dynamic in Chelsea’s build up, making the most of his understanding with the likes of Mason Mount, amongst others.

Timo Werner – Werner is yet another example of a player who is less comfortable when played as a lone striker. Much like Kai, Timo’s quality movement is most effective when he is joined by a strike-partner, preventing him from being marked out the game. Like Lukaku, his most successful days came playing in a front two overseas, off the left of Yussuf Poulsen at RB Leipzig, scoring 34 goals in all competitions in the 2019-20 season. Having either been played either too wide, deep, or central so far in his Chelsea career, the 4-2-2-2 could be the key to him rediscovering his goal-scoring form.

Timo Werner celebrates a hat-trick against Borussia Mönchengladbach (Source: Trivela)

Christian Pulisic – Despite the recent equaliser against Liverpool, Pulisic’s time under Tuchel so far can only be described as inconsistent, bordering on disappointing. The 3-4-3 used by the Chelsea manager has often seen Pulisic stuck dribbling in between the lines, exposing his lack of creativity, and leaving him too far from goal. Playing in the front two of the 4-2-2-2 would favour his goal-scoring instincts and movement in the box, without leaving him as isolated as he has been when used as a lone striker in recent games. 

Mason Mount – Although Mason has had an excellent year, finishing in the top 20 of the 2021 Ballon d’Or and playing a pivotal role in Chelsea’s Champions League success, it’s important to remember he has not been playing in his favoured position. His skillset is perfect for the 8 role and, like Pulisic, playing on either side of the front 3 leaves him with too much responsibility to create between the lines. Playing a 4-2-2-2 wouldn’t have him as an 8, but it does allow him to occupy deeper areas and play a greater role in the build-up, whilst still being able to arrive late in the box and finish off Chelsea attacks. He would not be the primary creator in this system.  

Mason Mount with the Chunkz Frankenstein celebration v Liverpool (Source: Goal)

Hakim Ziyech – Ziyech is another on Chelsea’s list of forwards who haven’t thrived in Tuchel’s 3-4-3. He is a player who likes to remain wide on the right side of the pitch, finding the runs of those inside the box with in-swinging crosses from his infamous left foot. Reece James’s ability to come infield would facilitate Ziyech remaining wide, their connection something to look out for if Ziyech remains at Stamford Bridge next season. With an extra striker in the box, the chances are Ziyech’s assist count would benefit. The same can be said for Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has displayed a fantastic understanding with both Kai Havertz and Romelu Lukaku so far in his Chelsea career. 

Losers:

Jorginho – Jorginho is a player who divides opinion. Tuchel’s back-three system has seen the holding midfielder’s strengths maximised and his weaknesses masked, so much so that he managed a top 3 finish in the 2021 Ballon d’Or. The combination of the three centre backs and two holding midfielders means that, in the first phase of the build-up, a passing option is always available, allowing him to circulate possession and orchestrate passing moves out from the back. This structure also protects him on the counter, rarely leaving him isolated in transition. Given his inability to cover ground quickly, a move to a more expansive system could leave Jorginho out of sorts, especially with the potential arrival of a new defensive midfielder. 

Antonio Rüdiger – Also benefitting from Tuchel’s arrival, Rüdiger’s aggressive style of defending is very well suited to playing in a back-three. The German’s form has earnt him much praise, now seen as one of Europe’s best defenders. His raw speed means he is comfortable defending out wide, knowing the central areas are covered by the other centre backs. Toni’s drives into the opposition half have become a fixture in Tuchel’s Chelsea team, often igniting both the crowd and the team during tough periods of games. Unfortunately, a move to a back-four would restrict his ability to charge out from the back, there being less defensive cover for him in this shape. It’s still yet to be seen whether he could adapt his game to suit the 4-2-2-2, but it’s certainly a formation that plays less to his strengths. 

Jorginho and Rüdiger (Source: Twitter – @Mohxmmad)

Cesar Azpilicueta – After last year’s Champions League success, Azpilicueta is now regarded amongst many Chelsea fans as a club legend. His loyalty to the club is unquestionable, but so are the signs of his impending decline. He was given a new lease of life by Tuchel, returning to the same RCB position which saw him widely accepted as one of the league’s best defenders during Chelsea’s 2016-17 title-winning campaign under Conte. On the right of a back-four, Reece James would be the clear first-choice option, leaving Dave with a seat on the bench. 

Thiago Silva – Thiago Silva has been nothing short of a world class signing for Chelsea. Joining on a free transfer from PSG, he has defied the odds by performing as a top 3 CB in the league at the ripe old age of 37. Despite proving under Frank Lampard that he is perfectly capable in a back-four, the older he gets the less confident you’d feel leaving him with less protection. As his speed declines, his inability to defend the wide areas would be a worry for Tuchel. 

Tuchel and Thiago Silva (Source: Sportbuzz)

Of course, a formation change would impact the whole squad in various ways, but these are the players who stood out to me as the ones who would either benefit or suffer most from a move to the 4-2-2-2. 

Notably, every winner is under the age of 30, and every loser, apart from Rudiger, is over the age of 30. Make of that what you will, but it seems that with every day that passes, the squad becomes more suited to a back-four system. To me, the catalyst needed for Tuchel to consider leaving the back-three behind will be the signing of an athletic defensive midfielder. Regardless, Tuchel’s semi-final line up was just one of many examples of his impressive tactical flexibility, having made many in-game tweaks throughout his tenure, most valuably on route to the Champions League final. This adaptability should leave Chelsea fans with no doubts as to the capabilities of the German, as he continues to show he has what it takes to be at Stamford Bridge for years to come. 

Written by Tom Driver

Declan Rice – The missing piece in Chelsea’s squad

It’s been quite the year for Declan Rice. From captaining West Ham to their highest league finish in over 20 years, to starting in the final of the Euros at Wembley in July and now scoring for the Hammers in Europe, the 22-year-old just keeps progressing. Despite West Ham’s dubious £100m valuation, reports suggest Rice does want to leave, and there’s very little doubt in my mind that he’ll end up at one of the Premier League giants. With Chelsea and Manchester United seemingly the most interested, his signing could well be the missing piece in either squad, converting title challengers into clear favourites. So, what’s all the fuss about? Isn’t he just another Eric Dier?

Rice celebrates after England’s historic Euro 2020 win against Germany (Source: Getty Images via Evening Standard)

What makes Rice special is that he carries out the basics of defensive midfield play to a very, very high level. He’s an excellent ball-winner and can cover a lot of ground rapidly, meaning he is very effective in transition, where he’s relied upon to break up opponents’ counter attacks. Rice’s athleticism, tenacity and ability to defend on either side all contribute to his high success rate in one-on-one duels, acting as a shield to West Ham’s back-four. Notably, much of the work he does off the ball is often overlooked, positioning himself to cut off passing lanes and force the play out wide. Rice is also an efficient counter-presser, winning the ball back quickly when it’s given away and shifting it straight to a nearby teammate. In fact, constant counter pressing is a key part of a certain Thomas Tuchel’s footballing philosophy, but we’ll get onto him later. The truth is that physicality and intensity are the hallmarks of any Premier League title-winning midfield, as proven by the presence of a strong base in all the greatest league-winning sides. Most recently, we’ve seen the likes of Fabinho, Fernandinho and Matic, but the trend dates all the way back to guys like Mikel, Essien, Makelele and Vieira. This season will be no different, and Chelsea can only rely on the protection provided by its back-three system for so long. 

I should say now that Jorginho was fantastic in the club’s Champions League success and Mateo Kovačić has started the season very well, it’s just that Rice is a different profile of player. Jorginho, for example, is brilliant in the first phase of build-up in Chelsea’s current system, allowing them to play out with ease. However, we’ve seen many times that he gets crucified in transition, simply because he lacks athleticism. Similarly, Kovačić has a habit of not picking up runners and of being out of position, meaning that when he’s paired with Jorginho, the midfield can be bypassed very easily. Of course, Tuchel recognises this, hence why he chooses to play with the added security of a back-three. Yet, as shown last season following Thiago Silva’s red card in the collapse against West Brom, when the system is disrupted, the protection goes, as well as any sense of midfield control. Pointing this out is a matter of fact, not an agenda against either Jorginho or Kovačić, who would both (particularly Kovačić) benefit very much from having Rice alongside them. As for Kanté, well, he’d finally have his Matic replacement. 

Matic and Rice go head to head at the London Stadium (Source: Getty Images via Hammers News)

Needless to say, it’s not very often that Chelsea are on the wrong end of a first half red card, but playing a back-three has its own negatives, negatives which became more apparent in recent games against Tottenham (1st half) and Juventus. Yes, it is the system that won Chelsea the Champions League, but it’s important to recognise that these were high entropy games, end to end encounters, full of space to drive into after containing opposition pressure. Naturally, therefore, fewer attackers are needed as attacks require less careful construction and more exploitation of space and in-the-moment decision making. The problem arises when teams sit in deep against Chelsea, who tend to suffer from a painful lack of creativity. Side-to-side football, no penetration, 40-yard shots from Rudiger, it gets rough. In all honesty, this is not a new issue in Tuchel’s reign, and his league form last season was not as good as many suggest, with points dropped against Wolves, Southampton, Leeds, West Brom, Brighton and Aston Villa. The common theme? Low blocks. The solution? Simple. More attackers on the pitch. Rice’s sweeping presence would facilitate a four-at-the-back system, allowing Chelsea to attack less predictably, more dynamically and far more expansively, knowing that in the case of a turnover of possession, Rice will be there to win back the ball.

It is no coincidence that Tuchel, as stated by many reports, is a big fan of Rice, with the German always having played a back-four at his previous clubs. Despite the credibility of these reports, some fans have jumped to dismiss them amidst suggestions that Rice is unable to play in a possession-based setup. While these concerns are understandable, and there were times during the Euros where he looked uncomfortable on the ball, I would say they are overstated. Unlike Eric Dier (sorry Eric), Rice has very good technical ability, and during his time at West Ham he has displayed a wide range of high-level passing, in particular the long-range diagonal to the wings, a pass he is able to hit with precision. He has shown he is able to play in tight spaces, acting as the link between defence and midfield, but this is an area in which he can improve. We mustn’t forget he’s still 22 years old, and he can most certainly be coached into becoming more comfortable in possession, working on things such as his body orientation when receiving the ball under pressure. Considering the defensive presence he brings, as well as aspects not even mentioned yet (including his aerial ability and powerful drives through the opposition midfield), reservations about Rice with the ball at his feet shouldn’t be enough to discourage Chelsea fans from wanting to sign the midfielder. Besides, Tuchel clearly isn’t put off. 

Mason Mount and Declan Rice have been best friends since the age of 8 (Source: Getty Images via TalkSport)

Signing Rice would not only return the defensive power and athleticism Chelsea’s midfield has been starved of for so long, but also a young, hungry England international with everything to prove, having been released from Chelsea’s academy all those years ago. His leadership qualities and personal connection with many of Chelsea’s XI, such as Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell, would certainly help to reinforce an already-confident Chelsea dressing room. Having the option to play both the well-oiled back-three system (against possession-based sides) and a new-look, fluid back-four system (against deeper defences) would surely see Chelsea as favourites for the Premier League title. Equally, there’s no doubt that Rice would fill the gaping, title-preventing hole in United’s midfield. So, Marina, is it going to be us or them?

Written by Tom Driver

20th + 21st August 2021 , Chelsea Transfer News Roundup

Ike Ugbo

Ike Ugbo will make his decision ‘soon’ as he has the option of Genk and Marseille to move to on permanent deals.

Fee is expected around £5m. (Fabrizio Romano)

Davide Zappacosta

Zappacosta is set to join Fiorentina on loan with the option to buy. (Fabrizio Romano)

Malang Sarr

Bologna want Malang Sarr on loan. (Fabrizio Romano)

Sarr will have a very hard time getting anywhere near the Chelsea first team with Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Azpilicueta, Ampadu and even Reece James in front of him in the pecking order at centre back.

Everton are also interested in Malang Sarr on loan.

Frankfurt are also interested. (DiMarzio)

Tiemoue Bakayoko

Bakayoko is one step away from joining AC Milan on loan. (Fabrizio Romano)

Saul Niguez

Chelsea will decide in the next few days whether to buy a new midfielder or not. Keeping an eye on Saúl Ñíguez, he’s considered “a possibility” – not advanced yet. (Fabrizio Romano)

Chelsea are working on signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Saúl Ñíquez on loan, as he is Thomas Tuchel’s preferred midfielder choice over Aurélien Tchouaméni. Saul wants to leave Atletico Madrid and his preference is a move to the Premier League.

Marina Granovskaia held talks with Tuchel yesterday regarding this possible deal. Nothing advanced yet, but one to keep an eye on. (CFCNewspage)

Matt Miazga

Alavés have completed the agreement with Chelsea to sign USA centre back Matt Miazga on loan until June 2022, paperworks signed today.

There is an option to buy in the contract. (Fabrizio Romano)

Declan Rice

Declan Rice is unhappy with West Ham’s £100m price tag.

Rice is unhappy that West Ham have effectively priced him out of a move to Chelsea or Manchester United this summer.

Rice will run down his contract instead of signing a new one.

He will keep giving his all for the club but wants to play Champions League football and challenge for throphies.

Both Manchester United and Chelsea may have already bid for Rice if his valuation was between £60m or £70m. (The Telegraph)

7th August 2021 , Chelsea Transfer News Roundup

Romelu Lukaku

The Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea deal is completed.

Chelsea will pay Inter €115m (£97.5m) for Lukaku and no Chelsea players will be going to Inter.

Lukaku will sign a five year contract and get €12m net + add-ons per year. (Fabrizio Romano)

Lukaku will be the highest earner at Stamford Bridge as he will receive about £195,000 a week after tax. (The Athletic)

Lukaku will undergo a medical in Belgium on Sunday and will travel to London that night or early Monday morning to complete £97.5m move.

The striker didn’t plan to exit Inter this summer but Inter’s financial crisis made it necessary. (David Ornstein)

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Image Source : 433

Tammy Abraham

Atalanta board have a meeting scheduled in London with Chelsea in the next 48 hours to ask for Tammy Abraham as main target. Price tag around €40m.

Arsenal and West Ham interested also.

Atalanta will bid for Tammy if Inter try to buy Duvan Zapata as Lukaku replacement. (Fabrizio Romano)

Tammy is not in a rush and he will not be forced out of the club.

Arsenal appeal to him the most out of three clubs interested as of now (mind may change after talks with Atalanta). (Dan McCarthy)

What Aston Villa's £30m transfer decision means for Arsenal in £40m Tammy  Abraham chase - football.london
Image Source : Football LDN

Declan Rice

Declan Rice has accepted that he will be staying at West Ham this season after their £90m valuation blocked a potential move to a Champions League club. (Daily Mail)

Declan Rice stance on joining Chelsea or Man Utd after returning to West  Ham training | Football | Sport | Express.co.uk
Image Source : Daily Express

Jules Kounde

After Lukaku, Chelsea will pursue more signings and will look to find a deal for Kounde. The Frenchman has always been the favourite option as centre back but a fee has not been agreed yet. (Fabrizio Romano)

Sevilla are already looking for a new centre back which increases the hope that Kounde will be a Chelsea player before the end of the window. (Fabrizio Romano)

Jules Kounde: Age, height, boots, girlfriend, stats, salary |  FootballTransfers.com
Image Source : FootballTransfers

N’Golo Kante and Jorginho

After Lukaku deal is done, new contracts for Kante and Jorginho will be discussed after summer. (Fabrizio Romano)

Man Utd must 'pay whatever for Sancho' and find Jorginho-Kante axis
Image Source : Football365

Written by Frankie

3rd August 2021 , Chelsea Transfer News Roundup

Romelu Lukaku

Chelsea have made a formal bid for Lukaku that consists of €100m guaranteed and Marcos Alonso also. Inter have rejected the offer as they deem Lukaku as ‘untouchable’ and they want to keep him.

Inter expect Chelsea to try again for Lukaku soon. (Fabrizio Romano)

If Chelsea bid up to €120m for Lukaku, Inter will find it hard to say no. (DiMarzio)

Romelu Lukaku’s agent is pushing for a move to Chelsea, he says yes to the move, very hot situation, Inter wont accept unless Lukaku says yes also. (Alfredo Pedulla)

Romelu Lukaku To Decide Future Based On Where He Thinks He Can Win More Trophies.

the lack of any incoming offers for Lautaro Martinez, Inter may be forced to reluctantly part ways with Romelu Lukaku, should a cash offer north of €120 million arrive from Chelsea.

Regardless, no final decision has been made by the player as of time of publication since he is very happy at Inter and the Blues have so far had two offers of cash plus a player as part payment rejected, as Inter are only interested in cash, in any event. (SempreInter)

€15 million per season in wages has reportedly been rejected by Romelu Lukaku as he wants to remain at Inter for now. (SempreInter)

Jules Kounde

Chelsea are yet to reach an agreement over a fee for the France centre-back and are likely to need to sell a defender to make the transfer happen. (Guardian)

Declan Rice

West Ham’s valuation of £100m for Declan Rice has put Chelsea and Man United off signing the Englishman this summer. (The Telegraph)

Signing Declan Rice next year makes a lot more sense for Chelsea and the price will presumably be lower next year as he has already rejected two contract offers from the Hammers.

Armando Broja

Udinese have asked Chelsea to take Broja on loan until June 2022.

Talks between the Italian club and Chelsea are ongoing and with a new striker potentially coming in, it would make a lot of sense to loan Broja out again. (Fabrizio Romano)

Written by Frankie

14th July 2021 , Chelsea Transfer News Roundup

Erling Haaland

One of the busiest days for one of the most lucrative transfer sagas of the summer.

One of the biggest sports newspapers in the world, BILD released lots of details about a potential Haaland deal today. Firstly, they mention that Chelsea want to guide Erling Haaland to London with a mega offer of €175m.

Jörg Weiler (reporter for BILD) stopped Haaland and asked “Will you stay with BVB?”, Weiler says that Haaland “thinks about it for a moment, then reacts with a big grin. But says nothing”.

The same German newspaper also claims that Roman Abramovich has already ‘released’ €175m (£150m) for the Blues to use in the Haaland deal.

Not related to Haaland directly, Borussia Dortmund have agreed personal terms with Donyell Malen from PSV. However, Dortmund offered €25m and PSV want €30m. If the €5m difference between these clubs is fixed, it could mean that Haaland becomes slightly more available and Dortmund could want to enter serious negotiations.

According to DailyExpress, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is ready to push the button on a deal for Erling Haaland.

Federico Chiesa

Reports emerged this morning courtesy of Christian Falk who reported that Chelsea asked Juventus for a transfer of Chiesa. Chelsea apparently offered a basis of €100m (£85m) to open negotiations for the Italian and Juve rejected to even open talks.

This transfer will be hard to pull off for any kind of money for a few reasons, Chiesa is still a Fiorentina player legally until 2022 where Juventus will pay €40m for his services. Chiesa is Italian and with many Italian players the dream is to play for Juventus and many top players in Serie A prefer to stay within this league for a majority of their career.

Fabrizio Romano chimed in just a few hours later on the reports of this deal by saying, “Juventus have no intention to open talks with any club for Federico Chiesa. Chelsea, Bayern… there’s no chance. He’s considered untouchable”.

Lewis Bate

Nizaar Kinsella and Adam Newson have reported on the mounting fears that Chelsea could lose Lewis Bate who is receiving offers from Premier League and Championship clubs.

Bate’s contract runs out in June 2022 and has not yet agreed to Chelsea’s offer of a contract renewal.

Valentino Livramento

Football.London shed some light on the Livramento contract renewal troubles by providing us more information on his status. Livramento has not yet agreed to a contract renewal and from January can agree to a pre-contract deal with other clubs. This kind of deal could see Chelsea only recieving £500,000 in compensation at a maximum.

Livramento trained with the U16’s yesterday which only adds fuel to the fire. We can only presume that Livramento thought he would be able to train with the first team and therefore did not travel with the U18’s and U23’s to Scotland. Depending on the mindset of the promising full back, he could see his lack of involvement in the first team as disrespectful.

Myles Peart-Harris

Football.London also shared that Peart-Harris has not yet signed a contract renewal alongside Bate and Livramento. Peart-Harris has been gaining interest from many clubs and seems to be keeping his options open amid many youth players doubting their chances of finding a pathway to the first team.

Emerson Palmieri

According to Calcio Mercato, there are three obstacles in the way of Napoli signing Emerson this summer. Leonardo Spinazzola’s injury which lead to Emerson taking the starting left back spot for Italy has meant Chelsea are not willing to lower the asking price of €20m. Napoli offered €12m – €13m and Chelsea declined this offer and do not wish to entertain Napoli’s maximum offering of €15m.

Chelsea have also reportedly told Napoli that they will extend Emerson’s contract before it runs out in June 2022 to avoid losing him on a free transfer.

Napoli are also interested in the idea of taking Emerson on loan in typical Serie A fashion. Chelsea would expectedly make Napoli pay all or most of the wage for the player if Napoli were to take Emerson on loan.

Agents are said to be talking on this deal constantly and they never stopped speaking throughout Euro 2020.

Alejandro Balde

MundoDeportivo (via SportWitness) are reporting that Chelsea are ‘formally interested’ in 17-year-old Barcelona left back Alejandro Balde.

AC Milan submitted an €8m (£6.8m) bid for the youngster last year but Barcelona turned this offer down. This same source called the left back “modern, powerful and offensive fullback, who would ‘adapt perfectly’ to English football”.

This potential deal comes down to whether Balde signs a new contract with the Catalan side. Yesterday he started training with the first team for pre-season which could provide an extra incentive for the 17-year-old to sign a new deal with Barca and snub the Blues consequently.

Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek

James Robson has reported today that Barkley and Loftus-Cheek are expected to leave Chelsea on loan or in permanent deals if buyers can be found.

Loftus-Cheek, who was praised by Tuchel a few months ago as being similar to Michael Ballack, is going to be assessed throughout pre-season and Tuchel will decide on his future ultimately.

Ike Ugbo

Sports Lens and Fabrizio Romano today have reported that Genk are confident of signing Chelsea striker Ike Ugbo. Besiktas, Feyenoord and PSV approached Chelsea to sign Ugbo but Genk are confident to complete the deal. It seems Ugbo has snubbed any chance of a deal to another English club and looks set for a move abroad. Negotiations are ongoing between Chelsea and Genk and we can expect a deal to be done shortly.

Cercle Brugge had the option of buying Ugbo on a permanent basis for £5m after a successful loan spell where he scored 17 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions.

Chelsea are reportedly looking to step up his price tag as many teams are interested in the striker for around the £5m mark and Chelsea don’t want to let a young, promising striker go for this cheap of a price.

Saúl Ñíguez

If a swap deal between Antoine Griezmann and Saúl Ñíguez does not solidifiy, Chelsea are ‘keen’ on Saúl. (Fabrizio Romano) Saúl’s name has been heard a few times throughout the last year and it is clear the board are fans of the Spaniard.

Declan Rice

Chelsea ‘consider new Declan Rice transfer bid with West Ham ready to sell for £80m’ after Euro 2020 heroics for England. (Sun)

Rice has already rejected two contract offers from West Ham amid rumours of Chelsea looking to submit a bid to ‘test the waters’.

Dean Jones also added to the Declan Rice rumour mill by saying that “Chelsea still see Declan Rice as a prime target and are considering an offer. West Ham’s valuation is thought to be £80m”.

Tammy Abraham

90min have reported that West Ham, Southampton and Crystal Palace have been put off by Chelsea’s asking price for Abraham. Aston Villa, Brighton and Everton are still in the race though, with Rafa Benitez reportedly being a fan of the Englishman.

Conor Gallagher

After an expceptional loan spell at West Brom, Gallagher has been attracting a lot of attention from Premier League sides. The main rumour surrounding Gallagher is that Newcastle have shown interest in him. We believe this would be a loan deal as Gallagher just signed a new long term deal with the Blues which still has another four years remaining. (Telegraph)

Olivier Giroud

Paolo Maldini himself confirmed to DAZN that “Olivier Giroud will arrive tomorrow and he’ll be our new signing.”

Chelsea will receive €1m guaranteed fee + €1m as potential bonus/add on. (Fabrizio Romano)

Written by Frankie