Chelsea transfer news: Aubameyang, Zakaria, Neymar, Gvardiol, Alvarez, Zaha and more on deadline day
Chelsea continue to be busy in the summer transfer window and the club looks set to keep chasing targets right up to the 11pm deadline tonight.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is on the verge of joining the club subject to final negotiations with Barcelona, while Chelsea have also put in a late bid for Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez, according to reports.
Todd Boehly’s new regime has already backed manager Thomas Tuchel heartily with the confirmation of Wesley Fofana adding to the signings of Marc Cucurella, Kalidou Koulibaly and Raheem Sterling, while promising youngsters Carney Chukwuemeka, Cesare Casadei and Gabriel Slonina have been secured on permanent deals, too.
With a list of leavers including Romelu Lukaku, Antonio Rudiger and Timo Werner, though, Tuchel is looking to further replenish his squad, targeting a number of familiar Premier League faces in a bid to mount a genuine title challenge.
Aubameyang is on the verge of joining Chelsea with only final negotiations for the transfer fee to be completed. Barcelona orginally wanted €30m but Chelsea have made a deal nearer €12m plus the switch of Marcos Alonso in the opposite direction, with only the structure of add-ons to be finalised, reports Fabrizio Romano.
With both Lukaku and Werner out the door, Chelsea find themselves in a peculiar position of lacking true centre-forward options, with Armando Broja unproven at the club and Kai Havertz a different type of forward option. The Blues have therefore been pushing with a move for former Arsenal striker Aubameyang.
The move has been complicated, however, after Aubameyang was injured while defending his family from intruders during an invasion of his Barcelona home on Sunday. According to ESPN, reports in Spain say Aubameyang suffered a broken jaw during the attack – which could put him out for up to three weeks, but it is not thought to be a problem for the deal.
Denis Zakaria
Chelsea are in talks with Juventus over a late loan move for midfielder Denis Zakaria, according to Sky in Italy. The Switzerland international is set to join on a season-long loan with an option to buy - with Fabrizio Romano adding that personal terms have been agreed and a medical is taking place in Italy. Chelsea have been left short of options in midfield following the injury to N’Golo Kante.
Neymar
Neymar has been linked with a shock deadline day move to Chelsea, but it looks extremely unlikely to transpire. The Brazilian was offered to Chelsea, acccording to The Mail, as Paris Saint-Germain battle to meet Uefa’s Financial Fair Play regulations, while The Times reports PSG presented Neymar as an option only to later retract the offer and are refusing to sell despite Chelsea’s interest.
The astronomical fees involved would make it a tricky deal to pull off on deadline day, especially considering Chelsea’s own financial fair play challenges this season, having spent plenty already this summer.
Josko Gvardiol
Chelsea made a bid of £77.4m for the RB Leipzig and Croatia defender Gvardiol earlier this week as the 20-year-old became the latest target in the club’s long-term overhaul of their defence, but Gvardiol has now signed a new contract with Leipzig and will not be leaving the Bundesliga club.
Edson Alvarez
Chelsea are pushing through with a £50m bid for Ajax’s Mexico international Edson Alvarez. De Telegraaf reports that 24-year-old Alvarez is keen on a move to Chelsea. Owner Todd Boehly has launched a bid as the Blues aim to bolster their squad after two defeats from their opening five matches, but they are running out of time and Ajax’s stubborn resistance to any more sales this summer is likely to scupper Chelsea’s hopes.
Chelsea have discussed the idea of signing Crystal Palace star Zaha this week but Crystal Palace are set to keep their talisman for another season - barring a dramatic late development.The winger only has one year left on his current deal and given the team’s progress under manager Patrick Vieira, which has seen them diversify their attacking threat through other players in the team like Eberechi Eze, there is a sense a deal could be made if Chelsea made the right offer.
Palace have pushed for a player in return – ideally midfielder Conor Gallagher, who shone on loan at Selhurst Park last season and is keen for more playing minutes with the World Cup looming. Vieira dismissed suggestions Zaha could leave following Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Brentford, saying: “There’s a really nice relationship between this football team and Wilfried Zaha, it’s not going to stop now.”
Chelsea have missed the deadline to sign Anthony Gordon, according to Everton boss Frank Lampard. The clubs remained far apart in their valuation for the forward. Everton wanted around £60m for Gordon with Chelsea submitting two bids for the 21-year-old, the second of which was reportedly around £45m.
Gordon had told Lampard he wanted to leave Goodison Park, despite having signed a five-year deal at the club in 202, but has since buckled down and scored two goals in his last two games - including the opener in the 1-1 draw at Leeds on Monday.
Ronnie Edwards
According to Football Insider, Chelsea have joined the race to sign highly rated Petereborough defender Ronnie Edwards after scouting him in a recent match against Derby County. Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace have already registered their interest in the teenager, with Palace seeing a £4m bid rejected.
Billy Gilmour
The 21-year-old Scotland midfielder is the subject of interest from Brighton and the south-coast club are interested in a permanent transfer for Gilmour.
