Chelsea transfer news: Edouard Mendy and Declan Rice latest, Callum Hudson-Odoi exit rumours plus Premier League updates
The Blues remain active in the market despite already spending more than £200m
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Your support makes all the difference.Chelsea are off to a winning start in the Premier League thanks to a Reece James rocket in the 3-1 victory over Brighton. More than £200million spent on new recruits in the busiest summer of any Premier League club, heaping pressure on Frank Lampard.
But there is more to come, it seems, despite already signing Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz and Leicester City’s Ben Chilwell joined Hakim Ziyech of Ajax and Timo Werner of RB Leipzig while defenders Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr arrived on free transfers from Ligue 1.
Frank Lampard isn’t stopping there though with more new faces likely before the window closes next month. West Ham’s Declan Rice is his No 1 target with a swap deal involving Ross Barkley possible. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is set to arrive from Rennes imminently in a move that could see one of Kepa Arrizabalaga or Willy Caballero leave. There could be other exits too with midfielder N’golo Kante being chased by Inter Milan and Juventus interested in striker Olivier Giroud. We’ll have all the latest throughout the day:
WERNER HAPPY AT CHELSEA
Timo Werner gave his first press conference as a Chelsea player earlier today. He hinted at other offers he may have had on the table before deciding to join Chelsea for £47.5 million. Werner said:
"Yes, I think when I decided to leave Leipzig I talked to different clubs and next to Chelsea I spoke to other clubs, for me, I don’t want to talk too much about other clubs.
"Of course, there are some other clubs like Liverpool that have a great team. Maybe I could fit in other teams but, in the end, I decided Chelsea because it was the best decision I could take. Not only the style of football but because of what they have shown to me.
"Yes, it was a hard decision in the end but I am very excited, proud and happy I decided this. Now I am here for maybe two months, it feels right, good and the team is brilliant. We have some very good but calm and nice players. "It is fun to play at Chelsea, be part of the team and be part of what we start here. We can do very well with this team in the next few months and years."
A RETURN FOR RICE?
West Ham are interested in signing Emerson Palmieri from Chelsea and as part of the deal Declan Rice may return to Stamford Bridge.
Or is that the other way around? Do Chelsea want Rice and will give West Ham Emerson?
The Hammers are desperate to keep Rice at the London stadium but the right offer from the Blues could be enough for them to sell, especially if Emerson is included in a potential deal.
Transfer expert Alex Crook told talkSPORT : "West Ham can’t sell Declan Rice, can they? You look at the reaction to the transfer of [Grady] Diangana; if they were to sell another of their perceived crown jewels the fans would be in absolute uproar.
“My understanding is the owners are desperate to keep hold of Declan Rice. Chelsea are still pushing in the background, but it would take a massive offer and I don’t see it happening.”
ROOM FOR RUBEN AT CHELSEA?
Gary Neville has suggested that Ruben Loft-Cheek should leave Chelsea after he failed to have an impact on the game against Brighton.
Neville thinks Chelsea could earn up to £25 million for the England international as he now has to compete with Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech and Ross Barkley for a place in Chelsea’s starting XI.
Gary Neville reveals verdict on Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s Chelsea future
The England international failed to impress in the 3-1 victory over Brighton
IS KEPA GOOD ENOUGH?
According to Gary Neville on Monday Night Football, no he isn’t.
Which is why Chelsea are in the market for a new goalkeeper with Edouard Mendy of Rennes the rumoured favourite although a deal for the 28-year-old is yet to get over the line.
Gary Neville’s damning verdict on Kepa after latest mistake
Arrizabalaga has struggled to justify his world-record fee
MENDY READY AND WAITING
French journalist, Mohamed Bouhafsi, says Chelsea’s deal with Rennes over goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is all but complete and the 28-year-old is ‘ready and waiting’ to seal the deal.
Mendy is apparantly joining Chelsea on a five-year contract for a fee around £18 million if the clubs finalise the deal. He’s just waiting for the green light to leave France and join up with the London club in the Premier League.
FORMER CHELSEA DEFENDER AT WEST BROM
Branislav Ivanovic is ready to go for West Brom after signing for the club on a free transfer. The former Chelsea defender will bring a lot of Premier League experience to the club having made more than 350 appearances and won 9 major trophies with the Blues.
Branislav Ivanovic ‘ready for the challenge’ after West Brom sign veteran defender
The Baggies lost their first game back in the top flight
WEST HAM ENTER RACE FOR EMERSON
West Ham have reportedly entered the race to sign Emerson Palmieri from Chelsea according to the Guardian.
Inter Milan have been chasing the full-back throughout the window and are still keen on signing the Brazilian. They are expected to renew transfer talks with Chelsea before the transfer deadline next month.
Now they face competition from West Ham who aren’t making progress with first choice signing, James Tarkowski from Burnley. The Hammers would prefer a loan deal for Emerson, in the case that Tarkowski does yet sign.
Chelsea, on the other hand, would prefer to sell putting Inter Milan in pole position for a move.
‘PREMIER LEAGUE TOUGHER THAN BUNDESLIGA’ SAYS HAVERTZ
Kai Havertz made his Premier League debut against Brighton on Monday night in a match that Chelsea won 1-3 but the German found it hard work.
He told the Evening Standard: “It was a very tough game, very difficult because I had long holidays and I came back and trained for five or six days with the team,
“More important is that we won so I am very happy to make my debut.
“The Premier League is much tougher than the Bundesliga, I have seen that in training and saw it in the game as well. But I am happy to play 80 minutes and hopefully next week I will continue.”
Pressure has increased on Frank Lampard’s Chelsea this season after they spent over £200 million in the summer transfer window.
Frank Lampard has boosted his squad with the signings of Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Thiago Silva, as well as others, and Chelsea are expected to close the gap on Liverpool and Manchester City this term.
But that isn’t worrying Chelsea centre-back, Kurt Zouma, who has played down the expectations on Lampard’s squad. He said:
“We have nothing to prove to people. What I would say is, we just focus on ourselves.
“Of course Chelsea is a team that plays for titles. It’s going to be a tough game, two great teams fighting. It’s going to be great to watch.
“Last season Liverpool completely dominated the season, they had a great run of wins. They hardly lost, but this is another year. Everybody starts from zero.
“We will see what we can do. We want to compete with the best.
“They have a great front three, but we also have our weapons. We can hurt them.”
NEVILLE WORRIED ABOUT THIAGO SILVA
Gary Neville has voiced his fears over how well Thiago Silva can adapt to the Premier League at 35-years-old.
The centre-back signed for Chelsea on a one-year deal from PSG and Neville is worried he may not match up to the intensity of the Premier League.
He said on Sky Sports: “Again, it’s an unknown. 35 [years old], 36 next week, played in the French league now for a number of years.
“The intensity in the French league is nothing like our league.
“That’s not to say Paris Saint-Germain are not a great team, they just got to the Champions League final, but you’re talking about the Premier League.”
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