4.45pm Chelsea news LIVE: Kepa two-year Valencia loan, Alaba transfer, Havertz wants Champions League, Werner £10m bonus – The Sun
CHELSEA handed Liverpool the title – and boosted their own Champions League hopes – with an impressive 2-1 victory at home to Man City.
And the Blues are reportedly interested in signing David Alaba, while Kepa's days look to be numbered.
Follow all the latest transfer updates and gossip from West London below…
TAG YOU'RE IT
Chelsea could be one step closer to completing a deal for Leicester's Ben Chilwell after Ajax confirmed Nicolas Tagliafico will be allowed to leave the club.
The Blues and Leicester have both been linked with left-back Tagliafico but Frank Lampard has made it clear English ace Chilwell is his no1 target.
Brendan Rodgers' Foxes are thought to view Tagliafico as the man to replace Chilwell at the King Power Stadium and his guaranteed availability could accelerate the transfer chain.
Ajax boss Erik Ten Hag confirmed the Dutch side will listen to good offers for 27-year-old Argentine defender Tagliafico.
He told Het Parool via Voetbal: “For [Andre] Onana and [Donny] Van de Beek, another year at Ajax could certainly be an option, for Tagliafico – because of his age – something different.
“In preparation I will try Lisandro Martinez at that position.”
PUL POWER
A recap of Pulisic tearing Man City to shreds…
LACE 'EM UP
Arjen Robben has sensationally come out of retirement to make an emotional return to FC Groningen.
The former Chelsea man retired last summer after ten trophy-laden seasons with Bayern Munich.
But the 36-year-old spoke in a video on Twitter to say he is returning to boyhood club Groningen.
Robben came up through the youth teams there before playing two seasons from 2000-2002 in the first-team.
FEELING BLUE
Chelsea's 2020-21 home kit has been “leaked” and fans blasted the new “hideous” and “lazy” design.
The jersey was revealed online by Footy Headlines, who have a track record of successfully leaking football kits ahead of their official release – including Chelsea's third strip this season.
But some Blues fans will hope they are wrong on this occasion.
The kit, with black around the edges, sports a massive Three Mobile logo printed on the centre and some have called to “bring back Adidas”.
One said: “Looks a bit plain something doesn’t seem right.”
Another said: “Adidas kit is way better than Nike.”
One added: “Terrible shirt bring back Adidas.”
It was announced at the start of the year that Chelsea ended their shirt sponsorship deal with Yokohama Tyres.
ED TURNER
Chelsea icon Joe Cole has questioned why Arsenal technical director Edu extended the contracts of David Luiz and Cedric Soares.
He told BT Sport: “The one person I feel sorry for in all this is Mikel Arteta. Because he looks like a great coach and it looks like there is some kind of system he is trying to implement.
“We know David Luiz has been a top player and won everything in the game, but the performances this season, I don't know who's taking the decision to make him another year's contract.
Arguably one of their biggest games of the season, Arteta left him out.
“For me that's a big signal, he's left his most experienced player out of the biggest game against Man City – and then you give him another years contract. [It's] muddled thinking.”
Before adding: “Cedric – if you're looking to go and compete with Liverpool and Chelsea and you go and sign a 29-year-old full-back who's arguably not played at that level where he's regularly competing against top sides, and you're asking him make a difference, then giving him a four-year contract.
“If I'm an Arsenal fan, I would be asking questions of Edu and the people making these decisions. I feel sorry for Arteta because he's got a lot of promise as a young coach.”
RED ALERT
Jurgen Klopp believes Jadon Sancho “would look very good” in red but does not expect Liverpool to sign the Borussia Dortmund forward.
Many expect the Reds to enhance their frontline after winning the Premier League title but reported target Timo Werner has signed for Chelsea.
And talk of Sancho entering the Anfield radar is certainly news to ex-Dortmund boss Klopp.
The German remarked to Bild: “A red jersey would look very good on Jadon.
“But I don't think such a transfer will take place this summer.
“He is a very interesting player.
“If he moved to Liverpool, I would be the most surprised of all!”
KAI OF RELIEF
Bayer Leverkusen hope to fend off interest in Kai Havertz but coach Peter Bosz has acknowledged that a deal could be completed by August.
Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United are among the sides competing for the German forward, 21, ahead of the summer transfer market.
Bosz told reporters: “I don't feel that he is thinking too much about transferring. Neither are we.
“I certainly don't have the impression that this will be his last game for the club.
“He is still under contract with us and I have to assume that he will be with us next season too.
“That will include the German Cup final next month and the next Europa League game against Rangers in August.
“Of course, that's all dependent on nothing happening before then.”
CHELSEA PRIDE
DON'T DILLY-BALY
Liverpool have not given up hope of signing Kalidou Koulibaly, according to reports in Italy.
Speculation is rife that the Napoli defender has already agreed to join Manchester City in a deal worth over £72million.
However the prospect of aligning Koulibaly with Virgil van Dijk is said to be too good to dismiss for Jurgen Klopp's team.
TuttoMercatoWeb report on a Liverpool plan to launch an official bid for the centre-back in the coming days.
As well as Liverpool and City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle have all been linked with a move.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is determined to bring in the full £90m asking price he has set for the 29-year-old.
TRIED TO ROB HIM
Former Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo has revealed he tried to sign Timo Werner twice while he was at Schalke and Aston Villa.
He said: “When I was at Schalke he was at Stuttgart and he was just coming on to the scene. During the second part of the season, before I left, I was planning with my sporting director.
“I was saying I wanted to sign this guy, he’s good. He was young, quick, technically good. I said 'can we not sign this boy Timo'.
‘We didn’t in the end and then I resigned and so on. Then I went to Villa. Stuttgart, the season after, they got relegated, and so I enquired again to sign him, but then Leipzig signed him on.”
Before adding: “I’m a big fan of his and he’s developed really, really well as well,’ added the former midfielder. He’s a goal scorer, he scores goals, so he can guarantee a certain amount of goals for the team, which is very good, and he’s very pacey as well, he’s fast.”
FEEL THE BUR-N
Ex-Chelsea star Craig Burley has claimed Manchester United have an advantage over Chelsea in the race for the top four.
Speaking on ESPN FC, he said: “There's no doubt that Chelsea have to make sure they nail this top four.
“Fifth place as you know may get Champions League football, but it might not.
“United have improved and we know United's run-in is particularly easy.”
TIM FOR A CHANGE
BLUE IS THE COLOUR
HOUSE ABOUT THAT?
Pedro is already searching for a new house in Rome ahead of his proposed summer switch.
The 32-year-old has agreed to stay at Stamford Bridge for the rest of the extended season.
But then the winger is expected to join Roma.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, he is already searching for somewhere to live out there.
GIFT OF THE GAB
Tottenham have joined the race with Arsenal and Chelsea for Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes.
Spurs have launched a £27million bid for the player to try and grab him from under the noses of their London rivals and Italian side Napoli, according to football website Fichajes.net.
The 22-year-old Brazilian centre-half has made 24 appearances for the French side this season.
Mourinho knows centre-half is the position he most needs to strengthen.
Jan Vertonghen is set to leave next month on a free transfer.
Although Toby Alderweireld signed a new contract, Mourinho has question marks over his pace.
ADIOS KEPA
Valencia are ready to test the water as they look to snap up Chelsea's out-of-favour keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on a two-year loan deal.
And Blues boss Frank Lampard is looking at Ajax stopper Andre Onana as his replacement.
Lamps has not been impressed with Kepa's form this term and dropped him earlier this season as his world record £71.6million signing struggled to find the sort of displays which made him the top keeper in LaLiga.
Valencia know all too well the Spanish keeper's capabilities from his time at Athletic Bilbao.
And if they can convince Stamford Bridge chiefs to let him come over for two years, by way of a loan fee and paying a hefty contribution to his wages, then Lamps could make a move for Onana.
If Chelsea agree to the two-year loan, Valencia would have an option to buy at the end of that, according to Madrid sports daily Marca.
GOOD MORNING CHELSEA FANS,
The Blues are reportedly lining up a stunning bid for David Alaba as Frank Lampard steps up his hunt for a new left-back.
The Athletic claims Chelsea have approached Bayern Munich over a shock move for the world-class talent this summer.
Lampard had been looking to prise England star Ben Chilwell from Leicester City.
But Brendan Rodgers’ £70million valuation of the youngster has put Chelsea off.
And it now appears that Lampard is trying his luck with highly-rated Alaba – who could also be under consideration as Chelsea search for a new centre-back.
But Kai Havertz is only interested in joining a team that is playing in the Champions League next season.
Frank Lampard's side are believed to put in an £80million offer for the Bayer Leverkusen star.
He has caught their attention after scoring 15 goals across all competitions this season.
But according to Sport Bild, a club not playing Champions League football is a deal-breaker for him.
And Willian has admitted he remains open to extending his stay at Chelsea past his short-term extension at the end of the season.
He told the Blues official website: “I want to finish the season well if I go, or maybe I can stay.
“I don’t know but what I want now is to play well and for Chelsea to finish in the top four.”
CHILED OUT
Brendan Rodgers says Ben Chilwell can handle speculation surrounding a move to Chelsea — as he prepares to line up against them.
The Foxes boss said: “I have no worries at all. Speculation is something you have to live with in this industry.
“He has good experiences now and can deal with that. It is a part of the game and we know that.”
Rodgers has been particularly impressed with how Chilwell has returned to action following lockdown.
He added: “Ben has come back and he has been brilliant. He has come back and looks fresh.
“In the lockdown he has really pressed the reset button again.
“He has been fit and his running ability has been great.
“His defending has been good — and you saw his goal he scored against Watford. It was a brilliant strike.”
PUL THE OTHER ONE
Christian Pulisic has shared his confidence after scoring in back-to-back games for the first time in his Chelsea career.
He told the Blues official website: “We have to capitalise on opportunities like that.
“I had another one in the second half as well [which was cleared off the line by Kyle Walker] but I’m just happy to help the team out by scoring. We needed it and we’re just happy to get the three points.
“We went into the game with a really confident mindset to go out and win. Obviously we want to finish the season strongly but we feel we’re capable of a lot more as well.”
PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
Liverpool must pay some of their Premier League rivals millions in bonuses after clinching the title.
Jurgen Klopp and his team have worked wonders in the transfer market in the last few years.
But many players brought in have been heavily-incentivised, with Liverpool promising to pay huge fees to selling clubs if the player involved wins the league at Anfield.
With the Reds finally winning their first-ever Premier League title on Thursday, the Kop crew must now fork over.
Southampton are thought to be due a staggering £3million in fees, with Liverpool raiding the south coast club time and time again down the years.
Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana are all former Southampton stars set to watch their former club get richer.
Arsenal are also due a monster fee, with former Gunners ace Oxlade-Chamberlain now a Premier League champion.
Both Van Dijk and the Ox were linked with moves to Chelsea but both ultimately decided on a move to Merseyside.
TITLE CHARGE
Jason McAteer predicted Chelsea will be challenging for the title next season as he praised the club's transfer business.
He told the Racing Post: “I can see them being right up there next season.
“They needed to boost their forward line but Timo Werner's signing is a huge statement of intent.
“I don't think they can rely on Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud.”
FREE WILLY
Willian has admitted he remains open to extending his stay at Chelsea past his short-term extension at the end of the season.
He told the Blues official website: “I want to finish the season well if I go, or maybe I can stay,’ he added. ‘I don’t know but what I want now is to play well and for Chelsea to finish in the top four.”
WIL POWER
Willian netted his eighth goal of the season in the 2-1 win over Manchester City and the Brazilian admitted feeling fresh after the restart.
He told the Blues official website: “I’m feeling good.
“We had one month to prepare well with a lot of fitness training so all the players feel good to play and we showed that on the pitch.
“We have to keep going. We know teams that come from behind want to win to go in the top four as well so we have to do our job.”
BRIDGE TOO FAR
Willian has lifted the lid on scoring a second title-decider for Chelsea after netting the winner in the 2-1 win over Manchester City.
Six years earlier, the Brazilian had sealed a 2-0 scalp against Liverpool to hand the Etihad side the Premier League.
He told the Blues official website: “It was a really good game and a really important three points.
“We know that to play against them is very difficult. They have a great team and they have the ball all the time but we did well when we had possession.
“In the first half, we had a couple of good chances and then in the second half with the ball we played more on the counter-attack and created some great chances. When we didn’t have the ball, we stayed compact and together so it was a good game from us.”
BLUE IS THE COLOUR
Chelsea have announced that the club will be donating over half-a-million pounds to UK Charity Refuge.
At the start of April, the Blues joined forces with UK charity Refuge to raise awareness and funds to support women and children experiencing domestic abuse during the coronavirus pandemic.
Chelsea agreed to match fan donations and with the addition of the Women’s Super League prize money, Refuge will now receive over £500,000 from this campaign with Chelsea FC.
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