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Tag: Mauricio Pochettino

Chelsea predicted lineup against Luton Town – Premier League

Chelsea target their first league win of the season
Despite a rocky start, Caicedo is on course to earn his first star for the Blues
Mudryk could replace injured Chukwuemeka in attack

Under new manager Mauricio Pochettino, things did not go to plan for Chelsea. The Blues have taken just one point from their opening two Premier League games, despite heavy spending in the transfer market.

A 1-1 draw with Liverpool on the opening weekend of the new season was followed by a disheartening 3-1 loss to West Ham United in their final match and Pochettino will be hoping for their first competitive win in as Chelsea manager on his return visit. promoted Luton Town on Friday.

The Blues haven’t played particularly badly in either game and may be unlucky not to have more points on their tally, but the Premier League are relentless and things need to change quickly.

Here’s how Pochettino could face Luton for his first three points as Chelsea manager. Goalkeeper:

Chelsea predicted lineup vs Luton (3-4-2-1)

GK-Robert Sanchez – With a deal imminent for Djordje Petrovic, Sanchez now has competition for his starting spot. The Spaniard has done well with Chelsea so far and will need to maintain a high level against Luton.

CB: Axel Disasi – A goal on his debut against Liverpool was followed by a more difficult 90 minutes against West Ham, but Chelsea’s new man has shown enough so far to please Pochettino.

CB: Thiago Silva – Still an authority figure in the Chelsea youth academy, despite not wearing an armband, the Brazilian continues to set a positive example for his centre-backs.

CB: Levi Colwill – he’s been impressive since his promotion to the starting lineup and there’s little chance he’ll lose his place in the squad, especially with the Chelsea centre-back’s current injuries. RM: Malo Gusto – Reece James’ injury has benefited Chelsea’s new signing, who has been fairly quiet in his two appearances for the Blues so far. He’s still unlikely to follow in James’ footsteps, but Gusto needs to do better on the right.

CM: Moises Caicedo – It may have been a disastrous start to life at Chelsea for the £115million new man, but the Ecuadorian is still a phenomenal player and his debut is sure to be a flop.

CM: Enzo Fernandez – Well, he might not be in the penalty shootout anymore, but he will definitely be in the starting XI. One of the highlights of Chelsea’s early games, especially against Liverpool, and it will only get better once he forms a partnership with Caicedo. LM: Ben Chilwell – While Gusto and Chilwell can perform more like full-backs at times, their forward roles will make them wingers when Chelsea are in possession. Chilwell was incredibly forward in his opening matches and it showed the qualities of him on the left wing.

AM: Raheem Sterling – Chelsea’s best player ever against West Ham and looked back at the electric best of him. Pochettino seems to have the better of the former Manchester City.

AM: Mykhailo Mudryk – He came on after Carney Cukwuemeka’s injury against West Ham and could be offered his first start of the season. Mudryk still looks a bit lost in the Premier League but has shown flashes of his qualities.

ST: Nicolas Jackson – The striker has already proven himself to be an absolute handful for opposition defenders but he needs to add a bigger end product.

More news…….

As the summer transfer deadline approaches, Chelsea and Manchester United battle for a wonderkid.

Chelsea transfer news: The Blues are set to face Manchester United and a host of other clubs for striker Dino Klapija this summer.

Chelsea will join Manchester United and many other European sides in the summer transfer window as they compete for striker wonderkid Dino Klapija.

There is just over a week left before the market closes and reopens in January, with clubs having to make last-minute inroads to bolster their squads. The Blues have already spent a lot of money under their new owner but show no signs of slowing down in the coming days.

Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson and Axel Disasi have taken early steps to join the west London squad, while efforts to strengthen the squad have intensified in recent weeks. Robert Sanchez arrived to bolster the goalkeeping ranks, while Romeo Lavia arrived from Southampton and Moises Caicedo found his way in a blockbuster £115million transfer from Brighton.

The recent strategy is to buy promising talents when they are young and develop them into the best in the world. This push should last until the deadline, as there are still a whole host of open goals for the first team and for the future.

According to the Daily Mail, the latest associated name is Kpija, a 16-year-old striker who has impressed among youngsters in recent years. The Blues aren’t the only team to follow him though, as Manchester United are another Premier League side in the hunt for a striker. Other European teams are also in talks, with Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan and RB Leipzig also considering a move. Klapija is a young Croatian international who finished his career at New York City FC before joining Dinamo Zagreb.

He has since left that position to join NK Kustosija at the academy, although the sides are currently changing and are ready to offer upwards of £5m for the youngster. It remains to be seen whether a concrete offer will be presented in the coming days as the deadline approaches, but it’s a move that certainly makes sense for Chelsea.

August 24, 2023
Chelsea’s stance on bringing in a new striker has been confirmed by Mauricio Pochettino.

Chelsea have lost Christopher Nkunku to a knee injury
Armando Broja remains out after undergoing ACL surgery earlier this year
Nicolas Jackson has yet to score in the Premier League

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that the Blues are still looking for a new striker before the transfer window closes.

The Blues made a key addition to their attacking line this summer in Christopher Nkunku, but lost the former RB Leipzig star, who scored 23 goals and nine assists in all competitions last season, to a knee injury during the summer.

To make matters worse, Chelsea are left without injured academy graduate Armando Broja, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament in December and is still working his way back.

Nicolas Jackson, another summer signing, has taken charge so far but is still awaiting his first Premier League goal, with 20-year-old Mason Burstow the only alternative.

With Chelsea’s scoring woes once again in full swing in Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham United, Pochettino took the opportunity post-match to admit the club are still looking for another striker. “It’s a difficult situation because we had two strikers in Nkunku and Broja, but they are injured,” Pochettino told talkSPORT.

“It’s not easy to find the right profile at the moment. We are working on it and working to see if we can add players in this area. But it is a task that is not easy for the club. Admittedly, they are working very hard to add players. “If that’s not possible, we’ll have to wait until Nkunku and Broja are ready and we’ll have help from Mason [Burstow].

“I don’t think the problem is that we need another striker. The chances we’ve created we need to be more lucid. It’s not just the forwards who need to be lucid in front of goal.”

90min understands that Pochettino will be given the choice of a shock return for Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian was left out of pre-season to go elsewhere but with limited options, Chelsea are willing to reinstate Lukaku, but would only do so with their manager’s blessing. It is currently believed that Pochettino is not interested.

More news……..

Moises Caicedo was given excuse after terrible cameo debut in Chelsea loss to West Ham

The 21-year-old will not want to see his Blues debut back anytime soon.

After a shocking 37 minutes for his new team in a 3-1 loss to West Ham at the London Stadium, Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo has been given a lifeline.

In the final seconds of the second half, the midfielder gave away a penalty that allowed the Irons to win the game thanks to Lucas Paqueta, making it the worst possible start to his time with the Blues.

Chelsea, Brighton, and Liverpool had been negotiating for the Ecuadorian international for several months, but Mauricio Pochettino’s team ultimately prevailed after it appeared that Jurgen Klopp’s team might have snuck in with a last-minute £110 million offer.

However, he finally left the Seagulls for Chelsea last Monday for a British record fee of £115 million, and fans questioned whether a week of training with the team would be enough to earn him a starting spot against David Moyes’ team.

It appeared as though Sunday could be the start of the 21-year-old’s dream career when he was joined by former Southampton star Romeo Lavia as new midfield prospects for the team. But it wasn’t to be.

West Ham took the lead twice after Carney Chukwuemeka’s first-half goal, thanks to goals from Nayef Aguerd and Michail Antonio, but Caicedo’s substitution of vice captain Ben Chilwell appeared to further disrupt the Blues’ formation and cohesiveness.

The second half was painful to watch as Chelsea moved the ball around carelessly and erratically, leading to Caicedo’s defensive error in the end.

In addition to the penalty, he also committed eight separate turnovers of the ball and two fouls, all while teammates’ fans mocked him online.

Jamie Redknapp, a Sky Sports analyst, attributes those errors to a lack of recent playing time prior to joining the Blues and thinks his future in a Blue shirt will be much brighter.

Redknapp said, “We have the luxury of hindsight [on Pochettino’s substitutions], but perhaps using someone to release into midfield and maybe bringing Conor Gallagher and bringing [Moises] Caicedo in. However, when you speak to the stats guys here, he has not played for 60 days, and you can see that rustiness because he gives the penalty away.

“Only the manager can see how he has trained; he is new to the club and may have felt he wasn’t ready for 45 minutes yet, but he will improve because it can only get better after giving up a penalty on your debut.

“However, there were some aspects that they simply could not master in the second half despite having played very well in the first. “.

August 22, 2023
Injury update on Chelsea attacker Carney Chukwuemeka, including possible return date.

Chelsea were beaten 3-1 by West Ham on Sunday
Carney Chukwuemeka scored and forced the ball at the London Stadium
The attacker is to be tried on Monday

The only thing that can match Chelsea’s spending on new talent is the number of players currently on the injured list.

Sure, the Blues have spent an indecent amount of money since Todd Boehly took over, but there’s no doubt they’ve also struggled with injuries. However, given their club’s fetish for flawed team formation, it’s hard to feel sorry for Chelsea fans.

Yet it looks like Mauricio Pochettino delivered another blow – beyond the scoreline – on Sunday as West Ham forced the west London club to a 3-1 defeat. Carney Chukwuemeka, the Chelsea striker at the London Stadium, succumbed to a knee injury before half-time and was taken off as a result. The attacking midfielder will be sidelined for a spell as the Blues are already missing a number of first-team stars in Christopher Nkunku, Reece James and Wesley Fofana.

When will Carney Chukwuemeka be back from injury?

The Englishman’s return from his knee injury won’t be known until the severity of his problem is revealed. Mauricio Pochettino said after his side’s defeat at West Ham that Chukwuemeka will be evaluated on Monday.

“We have to judge him tomorrow,” said the Chelsea manager. “Tomorrow there is a check with the doctor. Let’s hope it’s not a big problem, but we have to wait”.

Chukwuemeka appears to have initially injured his left knee after a challenge from former Chelsea player Emerson Palmieri earlier in the match. He went down just before half-time with an injury that wasn’t caused by any contact. He underwent lengthy treatment before being helped off the London Stadium ground by the Chelsea medical team.

Mykhailo Mudryk replaced the Englishman, but made no impact in the second half, and Chukwuemeka left the pitch on crutches after the game. While the teen may not have suffered an ACL injury like so many at the start of the new season, some have speculated that he may have sustained an MCL or meniscus injury, which would require a lengthy recovery period. A more positive diagnosis would be a bone bruise resulting from Emerson’s initial challenge.

More news……

Opinion: After being ignored for years, Chelsea have a midfield to be reckoned with

Once Chelsea confirm the signing of Romeo Lavia, they will have assembled one of the best midfielders in world football in two transfer windows.

This area of the pitch has been neglected by the club for years. Chelsea haven’t had a proper defensive midfielder since Nemanja Matic and he left our club in 2017.

Since then we’ve had some decent midfielders (some very good), but overall our midfield was nowhere near good enough, unbalanced and lacking the right profiles to compete in the Premier League.

If you want to win consistently and be a consistent force in world football, you have to make sure you have the perfect team engine, which is the midfield. And this starts from the base, with a defensive midfielder.

Chelsea now with Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia on standby, they have absolutely everything in midfield now and it’s a fantastic moment and a fantastic feeling for us Blues fans.

Enzo single-handedly led our midfield and team last season when we had a horrible year in football, but now he finally has the help he needs and deserves.

Caicedo and Lavia will provide the defensive stability and awareness we’ve needed for so long, as well as the athleticism and physicality. Both players know how to defend, close the distance, intercept and tackle: all things that we have lacked a lot. Then Enzo will be free for them to do what he does best and that is to create and shoot.

Enzo actually has a really good shot with him and knows how to find the net, but last season he was so blocked we never saw him. He also has great vision and an eye for passing, and he’s now being given the freedom to do all of that.

It’s literally a dream come true for Chelsea fans and it still feels like that, a big dream! But it’s not a dream, Chelsea now have a VERY good and capable midfield with the perfect complementary profiles for each other. What a future they have, and they’re all young, so it’s a future we should see thrive and improve and have for many years to come!

August 21, 2023
Moises Caicedo was given excuse after terrible cameo debut in Chelsea loss to West Ham

The 21-year-old will not want to see his Blues debut back anytime soon.

After a shocking 37 minutes for his new team in a 3-1 loss to West Ham at the London Stadium, Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo has been given a lifeline.

In the final seconds of the second half, the midfielder gave away a penalty that allowed the Irons to win the game thanks to Lucas Paqueta, making it the worst possible start to his time with the Blues.

Chelsea, Brighton, and Liverpool had been negotiating for the Ecuadorian international for several months, but Mauricio Pochettino’s team ultimately prevailed after it appeared that Jurgen Klopp’s team might have snuck in with a last-minute £110 million offer.

However, he finally left the Seagulls for Chelsea last Monday for a British record fee of £115 million, and fans questioned whether a week of training with the team would be enough to earn him a starting spot against David Moyes’ team.

It appeared as though Sunday could be the start of the 21-year-old’s dream career when he was joined by former Southampton star Romeo Lavia as new midfield prospects for the team. But it wasn’t to be.

West Ham took the lead twice after Carney Chukwuemeka’s first-half goal, thanks to goals from Nayef Aguerd and Michail Antonio, but Caicedo’s substitution of vice captain Ben Chilwell appeared to further disrupt the Blues’ formation and cohesiveness.

The second half was painful to watch as Chelsea moved the ball around carelessly and erratically, leading to Caicedo’s defensive error in the end.

In addition to the penalty, he also committed eight separate turnovers of the ball and two fouls, all while teammates’ fans mocked him online.

Jamie Redknapp, a Sky Sports analyst, attributes those errors to a lack of recent playing time prior to joining the Blues and thinks his future in a Blue shirt will be much brighter.

Redknapp said, “We have the luxury of hindsight [on Pochettino’s substitutions], but perhaps using someone to release into midfield and maybe bringing Conor Gallagher and bringing [Moises] Caicedo in. However, when you speak to the stats guys here, he has not played for 60 days, and you can see that rustiness because he gives the penalty away.

“Only the manager can see how he has trained; he is new to the club and may have felt he wasn’t ready for 45 minutes yet, but he will improve because it can only get better after giving up a penalty on your debut.

“However, there were some aspects that they simply could not master in the second half despite having played very well in the first. “.

August 21, 2023
Mauricio Pochettino confirms the striker ‘agreement’ amid a new injury setback in Chelsea news

The latest Chelsea news, transfer gossip and stories with updates on Hakim Ziyech, Romelu Lukaku and The Blues vs West Ham match

Aubameyang dig

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has moved to Chelsea as he congratulates Hakim Ziyech on his move to Galatasaray. The 30-year-old winger had an uncertain future in West London for a while before finally securing a move to the Turkish top flight.

Like the Morocco international, Aubameyang struggled to break into the first team at Stamford Bridge and spent much of the season on the bench before finding a new club in the summer. In his Instagram story, the Marseille ace wrote: \”All the best my brother. Free Hakim *crying laughter emoji* *clapping fist emoji* *heart hands emoji*. \”

Ziyech then reposted Aubameyang’s post to his Instagram story. Unsurprisingly, Chelsea fans have not been happy with the Gabonese international’s coup at the club and have been expressing their feelings online.

Lukaku ‘agreement’

Asked if he could reinstate Romelu Lukaku in the Chelsea squad, Mauricio Pochettino replied: “It’s not just one team, it takes two teams to find the best solution. You can’t just put it on the club, it affects both sides.

“The situation is where it is because of both sides. Both sides have reached an agreement. Before signing, we were informed about each player’s situation,” added Pochettino. “After signing, we had the squad we had. It’s so clear that nothing has changed and if there’s anything to report, we’ll report it.

“We don’t have to do anything, I have to be focused on my team and try to do well. We can’t waste energy on a situation that was obvious before we arrived at Chelsea.”

West Ham defeat

Chelsea suffered their first defeat of the 2023-24 Premier League season on Sunday at the hands of London rivals West Ham United. The Blues failed to capitalize on their dominance in the first half with Enzo Fernandez missing from the penalty spot. Michail Antonio and Lucas Paqueta scored after the break to give the Hammers all three points.

Carney Chukwuemeka, on the other hand, went off injured after an excellent performance with a goal, another blow for Pochettino.

More news…….

Chelsea hijack £51.3m Man City’s bid for excellence Michael Olise replacement, compared to Eden Hazard

Chelsea are looking for a right-winger who can also play as an attacking midfielder but has less than two weeks to sign a contract

Chelsea still appear to be looking for a right winger who could also play as an attacking midfielder after Michael Olise turned down a move to Stamford Bridge. The 21-year-old playmaker has already been heavily linked with a move to west London and, at the height of interest from the Blues, decided to sign a new long-term contract at Crystal Palace.

football.london understand that Chelsea were once confident of securing Olise’s signature. After talks with those close to the France Under-21 international, the two sides verbally agreed on personal terms before paying his release clause.

Joe Shields is understood to have played a leading role in the negotiations, having recently played a key role in bringing Romeo Lavia to the Cobham training ground. However, despite the Blues’ best efforts, Palace capitalized on interest in Olise and tied him up in extra time at Selhurst Park.

Chelsea now have less than two weeks to sign an alternative and Mauricio Pochettino has a few names in his shortlist. football.london understands the club remain interested in Mohammed Kudus and Rayan Cherki, with Brennan Johnson a late goal.

However, according to French outlet L’Équipe, Chelsea are interested in Rennes’ Jeremy Doku. According to the report, Manchester City are currently leading the race for the 21-year-old winger, who has been identified by Pep Guardiola as a replacement for Riyad Mahrez. L’Équipe add that Rennes are reportedly ready to sell Doku this summer for around €60m (£51.4m). The Belgium international, whose contract at Roazhon Park expires in 2025, made 29 appearances for the French side in Ligue 1 last season, contributing directly to eight goals.

Doku started the new season in excellent form, scoring a goal against Metz on the opening weekend. His impressive performances and low center of gravity have earned him comparisons to Eden Hazard.

In a Facebook Live video with La Tribune for RTBF, former Premier League star Phillipe Albert explained why he would be a great addition to the English top flight. He said: “He has incredible qualities which were discovered at Anderlecht, but he has been injured a lot in the last two or three seasons.”

“He’s a young talent who left for over €20m (£17m), so Rennes would accept an offer of €60m (£51m). I think the walk is not too far away, he has the qualities to win.” Premier League or any World Cup.

“If he is 100% physically, he will assert himself and repel opponents. It’s a bit like Eden Hazard at the start of his career with his double, triple accelerations which can hurt a lot.” “In England some teams are still a little naive at this level so it would hurt. He can play both sides, but I always believe that a player has to play on the right foot, so I would put him on the right foot. The role. The job of a winger is also to take care of the striker. So if you have the right player, there is no better player at this level.”

August 21, 2023
Carney Chukwuemeka’s latest injury gives Chelsea a serious fright following West Ham’s victory.

Chelsea injury news: Carney Chukwuemeka injured his knee in the Blues’ Premier League loss to West Ham United on Sunday

Carney Chukwuemeka suffered a scare in Chelsea’s 3-1 Premier League defeat at West Ham United on Sunday. The midfielder was substituted at the end of the first half after colliding with Emerson Palmieri.

The Blues youngster retained his place in Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield following his impressive opening weekend performance against Liverpool, alongside Enzo Fernandes and Conor Gallagher in midfield.

Chukwuemeka thanked his manager for his confidence with a fine finish and equalized in the first half, but that moment was short-lived. Former Aston Villa player Chukwuemeka appears to have suffered a knee injury after trying to win the ball in a 50/50 duel against Emerson. He managed to continue playing before being forced to seek treatment from the club’s physiotherapists. Mykhailo Mudryk eventually replaced the 19-year-old despite not needing a stretcher.

After the match, Pochettino gave a very brief update on the injury, saying: “Now we have to check it tomorrow. Look what happened to his knee. It was really bad luck.”

But there was another cause for concern when video by journalist Rahman Osman surfaced showing Chukwuemeka limping out of the London stadium on crutches. Luckily, there were no protective boots, but the midfielder walked carefully.

Carney Chukwuemeka can barely walk as he leaves the London stadium. Pochettino says we have to wait and see. #CFC pic.twitter.com/OJDQMnksCp

— Rahman osman (@iamrahmanosman) August 20, 2023

Chelsea are hoping to welcome the star back for Friday’s home game against Luton Town. The Blues host the Hatters at Stamford Bridge, with both sides aiming for their first win of the new season.

More news……..

Just now, Chelsea held negotiations to bring in a “special” £50 million attacker.

Recently, Chelsea and Arsenal discussed a potential summer transfer for Folarin Balogun.

According to a report from The Daily Mail, that is the case.

They assert that talks between Chelsea and Arsenal regarding the acquisition of attacker Folarin Balogun took place on Friday.

In the race to sign the 22-year-old striker, who the Gunners value at £50 million, the Blues are reportedly up against Fulham and Monaco.

The article also states that Fulham will not offer more than £35 million for the American international.

Balogun may have met with Chelsea yesterday, but rumors of a potential transfer out of the Emirates Stadium have been circulating all transfer window.

Balogun has publicly stated his desire to leave Arsenal before the summer transfer window closes in a few weeks, according to a recent report from Sky Sports. They added that other prospective buyers for him include Monaco and Inter Milan.

He appears to be blocked at Arsenal from breaking into the Gunners lineup, so he is desperate for a long-term move elsewhere to play regularly.

Balogun is such a promising young talent, and Gunners manager Mikel Arteta called him “something special” (Arsenal’s official website).

Last year, he spent the entire season on loan at French top-flight club Reims, where he scored 22 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions.

However, we’re not sure Chelsea should spend £50 million on another promising young player.

Two young and ambitious No. 9s who want to lead the line are currently on the Blues’ roster: Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja. We would prefer a well-known striker with a long history of scoring frequently if Mauricio Pochettino insisted on using another striker.

Read also …….

Opinion: After being ignored for years, Chelsea have a midfield to be reckoned with

Once Chelsea confirm the signing of Romeo Lavia, they will have assembled one of the best midfielders in world football in two transfer windows.

This area of the pitch has been neglected by the club for years. Chelsea haven’t had a proper defensive midfielder since Nemanja Matic and he left our club in 2017.

Since then we’ve had some decent midfielders (some very good), but overall our midfield was nowhere near good enough, unbalanced and lacking the right profiles to compete in the Premier League.

If you want to win consistently and be a consistent force in world football, you have to make sure you have the perfect team engine, which is the midfield. And this starts from the base, with a defensive midfielder.

Chelsea now with Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia on standby, they have absolutely everything in midfield now and it’s a fantastic moment and a fantastic feeling for us Blues fans.

Enzo single-handedly led our midfield and team last season when we had a horrible year in football, but now he finally has the help he needs and deserves.

Caicedo and Lavia will provide the defensive stability and awareness we’ve needed for so long, as well as the athleticism and physicality. Both players know how to defend, close the distance, intercept and tackle: all things that we have lacked a lot. Then Enzo will be free for them to do what he does best and that is to create and shoot.

Enzo actually has a really good shot with him and knows how to find the net, but last season he was so blocked we never saw him. He also has great vision and an eye for passing, and he’s now being given the freedom to do all of that.

It’s literally a dream come true for Chelsea fans and it still feels like that, a big dream! But it’s not a dream, Chelsea now have a VERY good and capable midfield with the perfect complementary profiles for each other. What a future they have, and they’re all young, so it’s a future we should see thrive and improve and have for many years to come!

August 21, 2023
Mauricio Pochettino reveals Romelu Lukaku ‘deal’ as Chelsea forward transfer schedule clear

Romelu Lukaku has been heavily linked with a permanent move from Chelsea for some time and it looks like he’s finally ready to make the move

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that Chelsea intend to sack Romelu Lukaku before the summer transfer window closes at the end of the month. The 30-year-old striker has faced an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge for some time and it looks like he is finally parting ways with the Blues.

Ahead of the west Londoners’ clash with West Ham on Sunday afternoon, Pochettino explained that the club and the player had both agreed a fresh start was best for both sides. When asked if he could bring Lukaku back to the Chelsea squad if he failed to secure a transfer, the 51-year-old replied: “It’s not just one side – you have to two sides to do that.” to find the best solution.

“You can’t just blame the club, it’s about both sides.” The situation is where it is because of both sides. Both sides have reached an agreement.

“We were informed before signing about the situation of each individual player,” added Pochettino. “After signing, we had the squad we had. It’s so clear nothing has changed, and if there’s anything to report, we’ll let you know. “We have nothing to do – I have to focus on my team to try to perform. We cannot focus our energy on a situation that was clear before we arrived at Chelsea.”

According to the Evening Standard, Juventus have offered £32m plus £2m in add-ons for Lukaku, but their offer is based on selling Dusan Vlahovic. The report says Al-Hilal have agreed a £40million transfer fee for the Belgium international with Chelsea, but they are expected to walk away from the deal after signing Aleksandar Mitrovic from Fulham.

Earlier last month, Inter Milan sporting director Piero Ausilio confirmed the club’s intention to sign Lukaku this summer. But when the Nerazzurri discovered the striker’s talks with the Old Lady, they pulled out of the race to sign him. Lukaku, whose contract at Stamford Bridge expires in 2026, made 25 appearances for Inter in Serie A last season, scoring ten goals. Despite his relatively modest performances for Simone Inzaghi’s side, the Belgian was still heavily linked with a season-ending return to San Siro – but that bridge appears to have burned now…

More news……..

Chelsea signs Lavia, raising midfielder expenditure for the week to £173 million.

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Roméo Lavia from Southampton. The 19-year-old is the second defensive midfielder the club have bought this week, after Moisés Caicedo, and the deals mean Mauricio Pochettino have two players Liverpool have been looking for.

The transfer fee for Lavia could be £58m after paying a British record £115m including extras to sign Caicedo from Brighton. It continues the huge investments under owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

Pochettino was keen to create more depth in midfield. Chelsea dropped Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek this year. They started Sunday with a midfield featuring Enzo Fernández, Conor Gallagher and Carney Chukwuemeka in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool. The money could be raised by selling Gallagher after the arrival of Lavia, who has signed a seven-year contract.

Chelsea are looking to expand their attacking options, with Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson one of their targets after Michael Olise rejected a move to sign a new contract with Crystal Palace.

Newcastle have agreed to loan sign Chelsea’s Lewis Hall on an obligation to make the deal permanent for £28m plus £7m add-ons. Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali reportedly negotiated the deal to sell the 18-year-old weeks after being offered a new six-year contract. Hall made 12 appearances last season and his departure means 14 players have departed this summer.

Hall, who can also play in midfield, would initially leave for Crystal Palace on loan. However, that deal fell through and he emerged as a target for Newcastle, who can provide Champions League football. His way into the Chelsea first team was blocked by Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella and Ian Maatsen. There will be some turmoil over Chelsea’s decision to sell one of their best academy products. However, the club has to raise funds due to their outrageous spending and the money received for the academy players goes into the accounts as pure financial fair play profit.

August 20, 2023
Chelsea transfer news: Mauricio Pochettino has reinforced Mohammed Kudus amid Man City hijacking plot

Chelsea Transfer News: Get all the latest Chelsea transfer news, including updates on Yeremy Pino, Jeremy Doku and Mohammed Kudus

Chelsea have reportedly turned their attention to Villarreal striker Yeremy Pino after dropping Michael Olise.

According to Simon Phillips, the Blues have identified the former Arsenal and Tottenham target as their new attacking target. The journalist wrote in his column that he was told from three different sources that the interest was real.

Pino, who played with Nicolas Jackson at Villarreal, is held in high esteem in Spain after graduating from the academy there. However, as he only signed a new contract in 2021, he could cost close to £68million.

Man City hijack

Yino is not the only player on the radar at Chelsea this summer, Rennes striker Jeremy Doku is linked with him.

According to French newspaper L’Équipe, the Blues are keen on the Belgian despite Manchester City leading the race to have the 21-year-old replace Riyad Mahrez at the Premier League champions.

According to the report from France, Rennes are reportedly ready to sell the documentary for around €60m (£51.4m) this summer.

Kudus West Ham boost

Chelsea’s hopes of signing Ajax star Mohammed Kudus have been boosted after West Ham’s initial offer for the playmaker was rejected.

According to The Athletic, the Hammers’ offer fell below Ajax’s valuation of the 23-year-old, despite technical director Tim Steidten traveling to Amsterdam to complete a deal. Brighton are said to have reached an agreement in principle with the Eredivisie side, but have yet to agree personal terms. And while teams outside Stamford Bridge are unable to finalize a deal, Chelsea remain interested.

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“His quality”: Mauricio Pochettino says he is so enthusiastic to work with the 19-year-old Chelsea player

Mauricio Pochettino has pronounced his joy about Romeo Lavia, who completed his move to Chelsea on Friday.

The blues announced this morning that Romeo Lavia, 19, joined the club from Southampton.

Despite the fact that last season was in the first team football last season, Lavia showed enough during the Premier League relegation of Southampton to earn a controversial transfer.

He has arrived in Stamford Bridge as a combative defensive midfielder who offers even more steel and endurance in the middle of the park.

In a press conference prior to the Premier League match with West Ham, Pochettino responded with enormous joy to the earlier news about the signing of Lavia. It is very interesting to consider the Blues head coach

Pochettino said how Chelsea’s YouTube channel quotes: “I think we all know him, his quality, his profile. He is the perfect player for this project. We are excited and are so happy to add it to the team. “”

With Lavia, we suspect Pochettino to buzz with this group of very young and talented players in Chelsea.

We understand the hesitation of a lack of leadership in the spine of the blues, but they cannot help but be enthusiastic about the rising stars which are signed and to pass.

Lavia showed real quality in the Premier League last year to shine in a combat team. I hope he is now able to fit into a Chelsea squad, play good football and get results.

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Chelsea signs Lavia, raising midfielder expenditure for the week to £173 million.

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Roméo Lavia from Southampton. The 19-year-old is the second defensive midfielder the club have bought this week, after Moisés Caicedo, and the deals mean Mauricio Pochettino have two players Liverpool have been looking for.

The transfer fee for Lavia could be £58m after paying a British record £115m including extras to sign Caicedo from Brighton. It continues the huge investments under owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

Pochettino was keen to create more depth in midfield. Chelsea dropped Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek this year. They started Sunday with a midfield featuring Enzo Fernández, Conor Gallagher and Carney Chukwuemeka in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool. The money could be raised by selling Gallagher after the arrival of Lavia, who has signed a seven-year contract.

Chelsea are looking to expand their attacking options, with Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson one of their targets after Michael Olise rejected a move to sign a new contract with Crystal Palace.

Newcastle have agreed to loan sign Chelsea’s Lewis Hall on an obligation to make the deal permanent for £28m plus £7m add-ons. Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali reportedly negotiated the deal to sell the 18-year-old weeks after being offered a new six-year contract. Hall made 12 appearances last season and his departure means 14 players have departed this summer.

Hall, who can also play in midfield, would initially leave for Crystal Palace on loan. However, that deal fell through and he emerged as a target for Newcastle, who can provide Champions League football. His way into the Chelsea first team was blocked by Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella and Ian Maatsen. There will be some turmoil over Chelsea’s decision to sell one of their best academy products. However, the club has to raise funds due to their outrageous spending and the money received for the academy players goes into the accounts as pure financial fair play profit.

August 20, 2023
Mauricio Pochettino, the manager of Chelsea, was prevented from obstructing a fourth Liverpool agreement.

Chelsea may have done Liverpool a big favor.

Chelsea may have diverted Liverpool’s moves for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia in defensive midfield, but the Blues could have given Jürgen Klopp’s side a hand in chasing down Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure. The Eagles don’t want to lose too many key players this summer, but having signed Michael Olise to another lucrative deal following a turbulent negotiation process with Chelsea, they may be forced to sell Doucoure for a reasonable price to recoup cash.

Olise looked all but ready to join Chelsea after agreeing personal terms earlier this month and triggering the winger’s £35m release clause. However, Palace stepped in and re-signed Olise to a new four-year contract worth £100,000 a week, more than double the £45,000 a week salary he earned under his previous contract. The Eagles are said to be furious at the way the Blues have handled matters and are considering taking their rivals to court over an “illegal approach”. It is thought that the threat of legal action may have forced Chelsea to withdraw from the deal.

“It’s the best possible news we could have. I was worried – it’s always worrying when a club of Chelsea’s stature shows interest in a player and people will suggest that moving to them might be the best solution,” said manager Roy Hodgson .

“I always hoped it wouldn’t be like this and that Michael realizes that the future for him here at such a young age is very bright and that we can help him move to another level very quickly. “I am delighted for the club and have to congratulate Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman on the fantastic job they have done in convincing them that, even if there was pressure from outside, this is your place and this is where we think you will progress the way right and you will develop in the right way.’”

While they have managed to keep Olise, the same cannot be said for Doucoure, who tops Liverpool’s shortlist. Liverpool are reportedly preparing a bid for the 23-year-old and will have no problem meeting Palace’s £60m valuation of the player who showed the hand of him in their dazzling pursuit of Caicedo.

The Eagles understand Liverpool’s interest in the Mali international is genuine, but have yet to receive an official offer from the Merseyside side. The Crystal Palace is open to the sale of the Doucoure, but only at the right price.

Liverpool need a new defender in the center of the park following the exits of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner this summer. The Reds recently brought in Wataru Endo from Stuttgart for £16m to fill the void, but are also looking for another defensive midfielder to add even more depth to the position.

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Liverpool ‘won’t use money as excuse’ – despite influence of Chelsea and Saudi Arabian transfer

Jurgen Klopp has insisted Liverpool will not use the money as an “excuse” in the transfer window, despite growing influence and cash flow from Chelsea and Saudi Arabia.

The big stories this week centered on Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea in deals for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who have both opted to join the London club.

The Reds have responded by signing Wataru Endo, but this has only fueled the fire in many quarters when it comes to the club’s appeal, something Klopp has rejected.

Klopp often provides glowing answers to questions at his press conferences and Friday was no different after being asked if the club is having trouble signing players this summer.

“I’m not sure if it has anything to do with Liverpool, to be honest. More difficult to dress? No,” Klopp insisted.

“Everything is more difficult, everything. There are reasons, you all know them. You’ve probably written about this before, these stories aren’t what I have to say about them. “But it’s really difficult, there are a lot of things that have changed since last year.”

Alluding to Chelsea’s never-ending transfer cases, Klopp continued: “Some clubs do it differently and nobody understands 100 per cent how it works.”

“As a normal club it’s really difficult to follow them. We just watch what they do and that’s fine, not my problem. I don’t blame anyone for what it is.”

Klopp also cited Saudi Arabia’s growing power to throw “infinite sums of money” at players making life “more difficult”, but that played no part in convincing a target to move to Anfield.

“Also, Saudi Arabia is not making it easy. Our window ends on August 31st [note: it’s September 1st] and their window is still open, so for players who aren’t happy, they will come back.

“It’s okay if there’s another league that’s growing, it’s football, that’s fine. We don’t have the right to say it’s not allowed, China has tried, the United States could still try. No problem.

“But infinite money creates problems, that’s how it is. We sit here and [think] ‘what can we do now’. It would be nice if someone could come up with a solution, some rules – I don’t know.

“Yes, it has become more difficult, but not to convince players to go to Liverpool,” he continued.

“One hundred percent, if you called a million players, they would come right away. We just have to make sure you pick the right one, our timing is different from others. “We can’t just spend and watch later, that’s the way things are.
It is good.

“I’m here and I’m very happy with the transfer window right now, our transfer window.

“I know what happened last week, I know what football fans are like and I know they would rather bring in a £110m or £150m player, and your club can do it.

“This is quite nice, but in the end the pitch is the same size, the player doesn’t grow with the money he costs, it’s quite the opposite. “I’m really happy for the moment. We keep looking, we keep looking.

“We will do everything we can to make the best decisions for this club and we won’t use a second of money or anything as an excuse. We just do it with everything we have. That’s the idea. “We do it our way, we are here and we are ready to fight.”

August 19, 2023
Romeo Lavia reveals his THREE reasons for picking Chelsea and turning down Liverpool as his £58m transfer is announced…

Ex-Southampton star says ‘history’ is one of them!

Chelsea’s new signing Romeo Lavia has revealed the three reasons that convinced him to join the West London giants.

Keen to boost their midfield options this summer, the Blues completed the signing of Lavia for £58m on Friday morning, just days after the signing of Moises Caicedo.

The Belgium international has signed a seven-year contract with the West London giants after completing a medical on Thursday, Mail Sport has revealed.

Interest in the former Southampton star continued throughout the transfer window and at one point it looked like he might sign for Liverpool.

The Reds were in hot pursuit of the 19-year-old and made more offers to the Saints, only for Chelsea to pounce and reach an agreement with the club.

Introducing a new Blue! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/vdHynMOMti

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 18, 2023

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Southampton star Romeo Lavia in a deal worth £58m

Mauricio Pochettino’s side sealed the Belgian international despite interest from Liverpool

The Belgian star will wear number 45 for Chelsea, the same as for Southampton

And in his first interview after signing for Chelsea, Lavia revealed the “three factors” that convinced him to join the Blues.

“I think the project and the club’s ambitions were key factors, but also the story behind it, so those three factors influenced my decision,” he said.

Liverpool have a glittering history, boasting 19 league titles to Chelsea’s six.

However, since the start of 2010, Chelsea have won 11 titles to Liverpool’s seven and for the Belgian star this makes them a more attractive option. Lavia also spoke on the club’s website, after sealing his move, where he said: “I’m really happy to be joining Chelsea and being a part of this exciting project.” It’s a great football club with a great history and I’m really excited to start.

“I can’t wait to meet all my new teammates and build chemistry together to accomplish great things together.”

The 19-year-old will wear the Blues’ number 45 shirt, the same number he wore during his year at Southampton.

Before the official announcement on Friday morning, the Belgian international also wrote an emotional message to his fans to say goodbye to the club.

“To the Saints fans. As I greet you, I want to thank you for everything you have given me during my time here,” he said.

“I immediately felt the love of all of you, even if we didn’t reach our common goals.

I will never forget the faith shown to me by the club and Saints around the world and I hope I have been able to repay the trust you have placed in me.

“I would like to give a special thanks to all my teammates and all the staff within the club, whether closely involved or not, for embracing me since the day I walked across Staplewood Campus and for all the day to day work and help behind the screens that make me a better person, athlete and footballer.

Good luck this season and I look forward to seeing the club return to the Premier League where it belongs soon! Thanks Saints. romeo.\’

As Mail Sport revealed on Wednesday, the deal includes a further £5m in add-ons, with Chelsea’s spending under United States owner Todd Boehly now poised to cross the £1bn mark.

Lavia joined Southampton from Manchester City last season after impressing during his academy training years with the reigning Premier League champions.

Pep Guardiola has rejected the buy-back option included in his contract with the south coast club, but will recover the 20% resale fee from the Chelsea deal.

Lavia – the Belgian international – enjoyed success in England’s top flight last season, making 29 Premier League appearances, but was unable to help Saints stay clear of the relegation zone.

His decision to turn down Liverpool means Klopp will now look for alternatives during the remaining days of the transfer window.

And the Reds wasted no time in doing so, Mail Sport revealed on Wednesday night when they made a surprise £16million offer for Stuttgart midfielder Wataru Endo, 30.

Endo, the fierce Japanese captain, is well known to Liverpool sporting director Jorge Schmadtke and can also play as a centre-back. He is to undergo a medical examination in Merseyside.

Gravenberch, 21, is open to leaving as he wants to play more regularly. Bayern have so far resisted a sale, but they are overburdened with midfielders and are under pressure to claw back cash following the £100m signing of Harry Kane.

Liverpool have also asked about Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat and Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure as they consider midfield goals after failing to sign Caicedo and Lavia.

August 18, 2023