12.45pm Chelsea transfer news LIVE: Havertz £72m deal AGREED, Thiago Silva deal ‘ALMOST DONE’, Chilwell injury – The Sun
KAI HAVERTZ is set to be a Chelsea player in the next few days after a fee starting at £72m was agreed with Bayern Leverkusen.
Meanwhile a deal for PSG's Thiago Silva is also said to be imminent.
Get all the latest transfer gossip and updates from Stamford Bridge…
VIEW FROM GERMANY
The transfer of Havertz will be announced in the next few days, according to Bild’s Christian Falk.
The 21-year-old is now exempt from the Bayer Leverkusen Coronavirus test before training resumes on Friday.
Havertz and his Leverkusen team-mates have been enjoying a break after being knocked out of the Europa League by Inter Milan on August 10.
Chelsea have to get the paperwork filed and sorted now, but it appears they have beaten the Bundesliga side’s Friday deadline to sort the deal.
The Blues will pay Leverkusen the £72million they wanted up front and the deal has a total value of £90m.
HAVERTZ STATS
Here are the German's numbers for Leverkusen over the past three seasons.
MORE ON HAVERTZ
Chelsea are finally set to sign Kai Havertz after agreeing to Bayer Leverkusen's £90million transfer fee, according to reports.
The Blues have been chasing the German hotshot, 21, all summer.
And after Roman Abramovich gave the green light to a £150m splurge, Chelsea have convinced Bayer Leverkusen to sell.
According to reports in Germany, the deal is worth £90m plus add-ons – easily the club's record buy, beating Kepa Arrizabalaga's £71.6m move from Athletic Bilbao.
Havertz will sign a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge, according to Bild expert Christian Falk.
Falk tweeted: “Leverkusen will soon accept Chelsea's offer for @kaihavertz29.
“The transfer is perfect. 5 years contract for Havertz. Total Transfer fee 100 Mio Euro including adds on.”
BREAKING
Kai Havertz is set to join Chelsea for £72million, with £18m in add-ons, according to reports.
It appears the Blues and Leverkusen have finally agreed a deal on the German, 21.
CAPTAIN, LIKER, LEGEND
John Terry has given his thumbs up to Thiago Silva signing for Chelsea.
The Blues legend, now a coach at Aston Villa, liked an Instagram post by social channel 433.
TAKE ME BAK
Tiemoue Bakayoko is finally set to depart Chelsea for around £26million with AC Milan finally singing him.
Gazzetta dello Sport claim the deal is reaching its conclusion after the French midfielder, 26, pushed hard for a deal to be done with the Rossoneri.
Bakayoko flopped badly after arriving at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2017 under Antonio Conte.
He has since been loaned out to AC Milan and AS Monaco, but enjoyed his stint at the San Siro.
The deal is set to be completed in the next week, raising funds for Chelsea to spend on transfer targets.
CHIL VS CHELS
Ben Chilwell's form was impressive last season before it was hampered by injuries.
But how does he compare to Chelsea's current crop of full-backs?
SunSport has crunched the numbers.
FAITH HEELER
Ben Chilwell faces a key moment today in his dream £50million move to Chelsea.
The crocked Leicester left-back visits a consultant for latest news on a heel injury which could see him miss the start of the new season.
Chilwell is a major target for Chelsea but fitness issues threaten to overshadow the proposed deal between the Premier League rivals.
Chelsea’s 2020-21 campaign kicks off at Brighton on September 14, exactly three weeks today.
And a source said: “If Ben gets news he is going to be out for another six weeks, not three, then Chelsea could well take a totally different view on this whole matter.”
Chilwell, 23, sat out the last five games of Leicester’s season while his team missed out on Champions League qualification by finishing fifth.
THIA-GO-GO
Chelsea have been handed a boost in the race to land Thiago Silva after the defender revealed he has not agreed a contract with Fiorentina.
The Brazilian veteran, 35, confirmed he is leaving Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer after their Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich.
Frank Lampard's side are believed to be closing on a deal after being locked in “advanced talks” since last week.
But they are expected to face late competition for his signature from clubs across Europe, particularly a player of his calibre and experience.
Silva confirmed Fiorentina are one of those who have made contact but wants to assess all offers before making a final decision.
After Sunday's final heartbreak, he said: “Now I have to look for a new team. Fiorentina? Reports of an agreement are not true.
SILVA LINING
Chelsea are on the verge of signing Thiago Silva on a one-year deal, according to Sky Sports.
Frank Lampard has been keen to strengthen his backline and the 35-year-old is now available on a free transfer following the Champions League final.
PSG were beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich in Lisbon last night but Thiago Silva earned rave reviews for his performance at the heart of defence.
MORNING CHELSEA FANS
Chelsea are reportedly confident of signing Kai Havertz in the next few days.
Frank Lampard has been given a £150million war chest to spend on new players with £60m of that likely to go towards Ben Chilwell.
Football.London reports the Blues will then try to meet Leverkusen's £90m valuation of Havertz in instalments with a £60m fee upfront followed by £30m in add-ons.
In other news, Atletico Madrid are absolutely unwilling to budge on their £108m release clause for Jan Oblak, but need to convince the goalkeeper his future lies in Madrid, according to AS.
The Spanish paper reports that the Slovenian is having some doubts over the Atletico project and is one of many players who knows the club should have won a trophy this season.
Atleti have also slightly shifted their transfer strategy to prepare for a time when Oblak will no longer be at the club.
Meanwhile, Thiago Silva is understood to be closing in on a switch to join the West Londoners following PSG's Champions League final defeat against Bayern Munich.
The Athletic's David Ornstein tweeted that a deal is “almost done” with the Brazilian set to seal a free transfer.
And finally, AC Milan are reportedly feeling optimistic about their chances of re-signing Tiemoue Bakayoko.
Calciomercato.com claim returning to Milan has always been Bakayoko’s top priority and the move is looking likely following a turn in negotiations.
The report adds that is because Chelsea are now willing to accept a loan to buy offer for the midfielder, with the expected deal set to net the Londoners around £25-30million.
GO GET HIM
Steve McManaman believes Thiago Silva would be a welcomed addition to the Chelsea side.
Speaking about the potential free signing, McManaman told BT Sport: “Football is all about the now.
“You can't plan about five, six or seven years because the manager might not even be there then.
“For the here and now he is an excellent defender.”
FEET UP CHALLENGE
Here is how the off season stacks up for the 'Big Six' clubs ahead of a busy Premier League season.
United have the joint-shortest break along with Liverpool, with Manchester City a day more, while Arsenal have the shortest rest period.
Chelsea and Spurs, by comparison, are laughing all the way to the beach bar.
LUK FORWARD
Former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has vowed to come back stronger after his costly own goal in the Europa League final in an emotional post to Inter Milan fans.
He wrote on Instagram: “First of all I want to say thank you for all what you guys have done for my family and myself.
“This year as a team we grown a lot together and it’s an honour to represent a club that i loved since I’ve been a kid.
“Yes what happened in the final p***d me off but i will fight back. I never had s*** the easy way in life as many of you know and this experience will make me stronger.
“1 thing is for sure inter is not dead and this experience will make us better as a team! there’s unity and we’re heading the right direction.
“To the fans i want to say thank you for being so supportive every game home or away I love you guys.
“I appreciate the messages i’ve got. We will be back sempre forza Inter.”
BIRTHDAY BOY
TRANSFER 'RUMMAS
Mino Raiola has revealed the futures of two of his clients.
Matthijs de Ligt is due to stay at Juventus, despite having a difficult season, while Chelsea target Gianluigi Donnarumma may not get a sniff of a new contract at AC Milan.
The super agent said: “Matthijs de Ligt will stay at Juventus, he’s the future.
“I’ve not started any talk with AC Milan to extend Donnarumma contract, because they’ve other priorities… we’ll see.”
FIKKY TOFFEE
Everton are interested in bringing in Fikayo Tomori on loan, according to reports.
The Toffees had Kurt Zouma on a successful loan stint in 2018-19 before the Frenchman returned to Stamford Bridge.
Carlo Ancelotti’s porous defence conceded 56 Premier League goals last season.
And Frank Lampard is happy for Zouma to go out on loan on a temporary basis, according to the Telegraph, as the Blues gaffer looks to bring in former nice centre-back Malang Sarr.
BEN'S THE ONE
Here is how Ben Chilwell fits in at Chelsea… by comparing him to his rival full-backs at Stamford Bridge.
His assists and goal ratio is as good as anything Frank Lampard currently has at his disposal.
STONES MAKES A WALL
Chelsea have been told to snap up out-of-favour Manchester City defender John Stones as he is a “success story waiting to happen”, says Paul Merson.
The former Arsenal legend believes £47.5million Manchester City misfit Stones could be the ideal man to strengthen Blues' backline.
He told the Daily Star: “Chelsea should go and get John Stones because there is a success story there waiting to happen.
“I’ve said all along Stones would do well there. And they should go and get him now. He has no future at City.
“Stones is homegrown. He’s an England international. He has plenty of experience. But he’s still young. He ticks a lot of boxes.
“He’s just like David Luiz, who was phenomenal for Chelsea when Antonio Conte played him in the middle of a three.”
CHELSEA FIXTURES
Here are the Blues' opening games and their clashes against the other 'big six' clubs.
HAZARD WARNING
On this day in 2014, Eden Hazard did this to Leicester…
DO WE HAV' A DEAL?
Chelsea are ready to complete the transfer of Kai Havertz – after Bayer Leverkusen indicated they could cut their £80million valuation.
The Blues have been chasing the attacker for most of this year.
But having spent £48m on striker Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, plus £36m on Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech, boss Frank Lampard was playing hard ball with the Germans.
Lamps has been given £150m to spend on players by owner Roman Abramovich this summer.
But the Chelsea boss knows he needs defensive recruits and a new keeper and needs to cut his cloth accordingly.
HAV SOME OF THAT
Chelsea are confident of signing Kai Havertz in the next few days, according to reports.
Frank Lampard has been given a £150m war chest to spend on new players with £60m of that likely to go towards Ben Chilwell.
Football.London reports the Blues will then try to meet Leverkusen's £90m valuation of Havertz in instalments with a £60m fee upfront followed by £30m in add-ons.
LANG GAME
Chelsea are interested in bringing in free agent Malang Sarr, who recently left Nice.
The centre-back, 21, has been out of a club after leaving the side where he came through the ranks.
Sarr made his debut in 2016 and, according to Sky Sports, Chelsea are keen to bolster their defensive depth.
Kaveh Solhekol confirmed the West London club are close to agreeing a deal for Sarr.
GOT STONES
Chelsea target John Stones is prepared to fight for his Manchester City future — even if it means putting his Euros dream on the line.
The centre-back has fallen down the Etihad rankings and was tipped to move this summer.
But the England international does not want to be shoved out and insists he can force his way back into Pep Guardiola’s plans.
Boss Pep has already brought in Nathan Ake from Bournemouth for £40million, while Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly is a potential £65m buy as well.
And Stones knows by staying he risks his place in the Three Lions starting XI for the delayed Euro 2020 finals next summer.
Stones is in the final two years of his £130,000-a-week contract and has so far been kept waiting on an extension.
Former club Everton — who sold him to City for £47.5million four years ago — West Ham, Arsenal and Chelsea have shown an interest in the 26-year-old.
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