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Chelsea FC | 2019/20 Season

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Goals from Tammy Abraham and Ross Barkley gave Frank Lampard's Chelsea an impressive 2-1 win against Barcelona in a pre-season friendly in Japan.

Abraham opened the scoring with a neat first-half finish after rounding the goalkeeper, and substitute Barkley curled in a second late on.

Ivan Rakitic struck in injury time for Barcelona with powerful drive.

The game saw £107m signing Antoine Griezmann make his debut for the Spanish giants.

The former Atletico Madrid striker showed some good touches and linked up well with Ousmane Dembele, who is reportedly set to leave Barcelona this summer, but never really troubled Kepa in the Chelsea goal.

Lampard gave Christian Pulisic a first start for the Blues and the 20-year-old American forward caught the eye with his pace and trickery.

He got the better of the Barcelona backline on a number of occasions, breezing past defenders to set up a couple of chances, although his finishing failed to match the rest of his game.

But he was not the only one of Chelsea's young players to impress.

Abraham recovered from a shocking miss at the start of the game, when he fired over from four yards, by showing a striker's instinct for the opener, reacting quickly to a deflected clearance and then rounding Barcelona's experienced keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Meanwhile, Mason Mount, who played under Lampard on loan at Derby last season where he scored 14 goals, did not look out of place.

Playing just behind Abraham, Mount linked up play well and showed he was not afraid to shoot against illustrious opposition with a decent drive that flew just over.
 
Transfer embargo and no Eden Hazard.

It's going to be an interesting season at Chelsea - time to blood some youngsters and see what they are made of.
 
Some good news for Chelsea - Hudson-Odoi has signed a new contract.
 
Frank Lampard is not sure yet if N’Golo Kante will be able to play a part in the start of the Premier League campaign next weekend, but further progress has been made towards our midfield star returning to full fitness.

The most recent step forward was 20 minutes worth of action at the end of our final pre-season game, the 2-2 draw against Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany at the weekend.

‘It was always the plan,’ explained Lampard on that level of involvement for Kante. He has not played since the final game of last season due to a knee injury suffered in the build-up to that Europa League final in which he Frenchman played.

‘It was to give him the feeling of some match time because he has not been able to have that yet. It was an awkward injury and I want him to feel it [time on the pitch] and us to see it and you can’t replicate it quite unless you do it. It was a good opportunity for him to do that and we will work hard on getting him fit.

‘Who knows if he can be ready for next week or not, we will work hard for that but we just have to be careful as he played so many games over the last three seasons, you don’t want to rush him back if it is going to be a negative but we will do our best to get him back.’

When it comes to deciding the line-up for the first competitive fixture of his tenure, Lampard admits the pre-season form of young Mason Mount is giving him plenty to think about.

‘He [Mount] has done a lot coming back here,’ said Lampard.

‘I worked with him last year and I am really happy with how he is training, with how he is playing, with how he has improved, his status within the group. The players recognise quality instantly but they also recognise work rate and character and Mason has all of those and shown that.

‘He has given me a problem because Ross Barkley has also had a good pre-season and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will be back later on. It is good because they are adaptable, it does not have to be one for one, they can play a variety of positions among themselves and I could not ask for more than Mason has done.

‘I more or less know my team selection but it is a long week to come and players have to train every day to get themselves in the team, so the door isn’t shut on that.

‘We need all the squad, we need players to be competitive, we need players to come on like Giroud did on Saturday and show a desire to impact a game, to try to turn a result and that is what we need for the season, so I want to set that tone going into it.

‘I think it has been a good pre-season. When you are new as a manager, you have to try to get your ideas across as quickly as possible. The team have a certain way they have been used to playing, certain messages, and me and my staff have been trying to get our message across. I think we have done that.

‘I have a good feeling after Saturday’s game. I didn’t like the first half of course but the reaction we showed in the second half, the chances we created, we should have won comfortably. It was a nice way to finish pre-season but we still need to stay focused throughout this week because Manchester United in the Premier League is a different animal to a pre-season friendly.’

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2...ders-premier-league-selection-and-n-golo-kant
 
Young Chelsea players were targeted for years by a "prolific and manipulative sexual abuser" who was able to operate "unchallenged", says a damning report.

Evidence from 23 witnesses details how ex-chief scout Eddie Heath, who died in 1983, groomed and abused young boys aged between 10 and 17 in the 1970s.

An external review said some adults at Chelsea must have been aware of Heath's abuse but "turned a blind eye".

In a statement, Chelsea's board apologised "unreservedly".

The report - led by barrister Charles Geekie QC - is also heavily critical of former assistant manager Dario Gradi, who is accused of failing to tell more senior club staff about an allegation regarding the sexual conduct of Heath, brought to him by the parent of a young player.

Gradi's alleged failure to report the claim "was a lost opportunity to expose Heath and prevent further abuse".

The BBC has approached 78-year-old Gradi for comment. In his evidence to the review, he denied trying to "smooth over" the matter in a meeting with the boy's father. He also said he reported the allegations to the club's assistant manager.

Meanwhile, a separate review into allegations of racial abuse from 1982 up until the late 1990s conducted by charity Barnado's concluded that "black players were subjected to a daily tirade of racial abuse".

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49251891
 
Frank Lampard denies David Luiz forced Arsenal move with strike threat

Frank Lampard has said the decision to sell David Luiz had nothing to do with player power. The Brazilian’s move to Arsenal on deadline day was one of the surprising moves of the window but the Chelsea manager said the decision was “a football one”.

Lampard, who is preparing for his Premier League debut as a manager against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, said: “I have to try to create a squad that’s in the image I want. I am not saying David wasn’t part of that. I just have to make decisions every day. They are not about trying to show power. They are about doing things the right way.

“The last thing I want to do is look back on these times and think I wish I had done that differently. These are just decisions that I do daily. If it looks like that from the outside [like a power play], then it wasn’t. I did it purely as a football decision.”

Arsenal paid £8m for David Luiz but Lampard was keen to stress the player had not gone on strike to force through a move. “We had some conversations over the last week, honest conversations because I know David well,” he said. “And I think the conclusion of that was that he moved on,” Lampard said.

“There certainly wasn’t any strikes. I’ll make that clear straight away. And in terms of fallouts, no, there weren’t. There were honest conversations. As a player, I always respected honesty from a manager whatever the news. And I think I got that back from David hence why he ends up moving on to Arsenal. There were no strikes.”

The surprise move meant the final week before the start of the season was not as calm as anticipated but Lampard seemed unperturbed by events.

“The fact is this, we have a transfer ban so I can’t bring players in,” he said. “All I want to do is work daily with the players on the pitch to try to get the teams playing the way they can. Things will arise and selections will happen and that’s the job of a manager.

I am just trying to do it well. It definitely wasn’t a flexing of my muscles at all. It was just a decision that was made. As I say, it was very clear between us both. I think we have come out of it and my focus is on the team. Where can we go forward. We have four centre-halves. Three full internationals, one is an under 21 international who I worked with last year. We have other players in defensive areas.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/09/frank-lampard-david-luiz-chelsea-arsenal
 
Chelsea right-back Davide Zappacosta is set to join Roma on a season-long loan.

The 27-year-old Italy international arrived in Rome on Tuesday to complete the deal.

Zappacosta joined Chelsea from Torino on a four-year deal for £23m in 2017.

But after 22 appearances in the Premier League in his first season he only played four times in 2018-19. He has not made an appearance for Chelsea this season.

Fellow defenders David Luiz and Gary Cahill have already left Stamford Bridge this summer.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49415761
 
Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte has launched fresh legal action against former club Chelsea.

The Times says Conte is taking further legal action against the club despite already being given a £9million payout.

The bitter row between Italian Conte, who now manages Inter Milan, and the Blues is rumbling on some 13 months after he left the club.

They say Conte, 50, was the claimant in a preliminary hearing held at the Central London Employment Tribunal last Friday.

He is believed to have brought a statutory claim at an Employment Tribunal against Chelsea, with a verdict expected next month.

Details of Conte's claim are unclear but it is reported that such cases usually involve accusations of unfair dismissal or discrimination.


Read more at https://www.tribalfootball.com/arti...n-against-chelsea-4293861#O7a1Etv7tmaQM6Kx.99
 
Two former Chelsea youth players have told BBC News they were regularly subjected to racist abuse by a former assistant manager.

One said that at the age of 12 - on his first encounter with Gwyn Williams - the coach made racial remarks about his facial features.

Williams had called him racist names, asked him if he had been "robbing old grannies", and said it was a "rarity" that he went to school.

Williams denies all allegations.

Training sessions
The two former youth-team players were speaking out for the first time since Chelsea published a report into the scandal in August.

Neither of them gave evidence to the inquiry, which found that young black players had been subjected to "a daily tirade of racial abuse" in the 1980s and 1990s.

Williams, the former academy director, was described as the "instigator" of racial abuse at the club.

Anthony - not his real name - told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme he had been subjected to racist abuse during training sessions.

First encounter
"I remember the first time I met [Gwyn Williams] he said how big my lips were, how big my nose was."

He said Williams had also made a racially charged comment about the size of his penis.

"And that was my first encounter. I was 12 years old."

A second player, Kieran - also not his real name - said Williams regularly referred to him using racist language.

"I was coming in [to training] scared to make a mistake," he said.

"Even on the pitch it affected me because I couldn't relax. I was thinking if I have a bad game everyone is going to say 'you black this' or 'you black that'."

'Toxic environment'
Williams joined Chelsea in 1979 as a youth development officer and rose to assistant manager, leaving the club in 2006.

His lawyer wrote to Chelsea denying "any and all" allegations of racism.

He claimed the extracts of the report shown to him were "biased, untrue, unfair and artificial".

The report, commissioned by Chelsea and written by the charity Barnardo's, heard evidence of a toxic, racist environment.

'Racist language'
The report also looked into allegations against another Chelsea coach - former England international Graham Rix.

It found while he "could be aggressive and bullying", on the evidence presented to them he was not racially abusive.

Anthony and Kieran said they did not give evidence to the inquiry because it had been paid for by Chelsea and they had worries about its independence.

But they both told BBC News they had heard Rix use racist language.

Anthony said Rix asked him if he had gone out and had sex with "any of our white girls" at the weekend.

"I thought, 'I've had enough of this', and I said, 'Yeah, I did'," Anthony told the BBC.

"And he said, 'If that was my daughter I would lynch you'."

Chelsea football sign and club logo
Chelsea apologised for the "deeply shocking behaviour" described in Barnardo's report.
Jailed for sexual assault
Rix was jailed in 1999 for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl, serving six months and being reinstated as a coach by Chelsea on his release.

He went on to manage clubs including Portsmouth and Heart of Midlothian.

Rix's lawyer gave a statement to the Barnardo's review, denying he was a bully, aggressive or racist.

The lawyer told BBC News Rix denied Anthony and Kieran's allegations.

He added both the FA and the Disclosure and Barring Service [DBS] had investigated and not placed any restrictions on Rix.

'Deeply shocking'
Chelsea have apologised for the "deeply shocking behaviour" described in the Barnardo's report.

It said: "Barnardo's reviewers concluded that the numerous accounts given of severe racially abusive behaviour towards young players historically were credible.

"As a club we want to apologise to all players who experienced this deeply shocking behaviour.

"We are doing, and will continue to do, everything we can to ensure that those boys, girls, men and women who play for this club - and indeed anyone who works for or with the club - will never have to endure the terrible experiences which these young players suffered."

'PR exercise'
Both ex-players said it had felt impossible to report their allegations at the time.

They said Chelsea had no safeguarding policy in place at the time, and there had been no other official to turn to with a complaint.

"I didn't want to make trouble for my parents in any way, shape or form," Anthony added.

Anthony and Kieran accuse the club of trying to minimise publicity around the scandal by publishing the findings on the same day as a separate 250-page investigation into sexual abuse by a different coach decades earlier.

They said they now wanted a full face-to-face apology from the club but had not been contacted directly by Chelsea since the publication of the report.

"I haven't heard anything from anybody [at Chelsea]," said Anthony.

"So, is this just a PR exercise? Are they sincerely sorry and really going to acknowledge what happened?

"They need to talk to people, not just put out a generic statement."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49435745
 
Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has expressed his hope that “this can be my season” following his wonderful hat-trick in the 5-2 win at Wolves.

Abraham’s treble on Saturday saw him surge to the top of the Premier League scoring charts with seven goals, where he was subsequently joined by Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.

The 21-year-old, who had gone into the game having netted back-to-back doubles in the previous two matches, is hoping his fruitful run of form can help him cement his place in Chelsea's first team.

Abraham told Chelsea's official website: “I’ve been working hard and hopefully this can be my season. It’s up to me to keep showing the gaffer (Frank Lampard) in every game and training session that I’m hungry and I want success.

“He told me at half-time to stay on and get the hat-trick so I believed and stayed focused. I’ve just got to be ready to take every chance that comes my way with both hands. I’m working hard and I’m just delighted to see that pay off with my goals [on Saturday] as well as the three points.”

Abraham was among a trio of young Chelsea academy graduates for whom it was a particularly good day – the others being defender Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount.

Terrific Tammy
Tammy Abraham (21y 347d) has become the youngest ever Chelsea player to score a Premier League hat-trick, and is the youngest Englishman to do so in the competition since Raheem Sterling (v Bournemouth) in October 2015 Abraham has become just the third player in Premier League history to score 2+ goals in three consecutive appearances aged 21 or younger, after Cristiano Ronaldo in December 2006 and Dele Alli in January 2017. Abraham is the first player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick and an own goal in the same game Each of Chelsea’s 11 Premier League goals this season have been scored by English players aged 21 or under - Abraham (7), Mason Mount (3) and Fikayo Tomori (1).

England U21 international Tomori opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a superb strike from around 30 yards – his first Chelsea goal.

Abraham added: “I was thinking ‘don’t shoot, Fikayo’ but everyone is delighted for him. In training, he’s been trying it every day and smashing windows but [against Wolves] it paid off – it was a great strike.

“We (Abraham, Tomori and Mount) were the last people off the pitch because we were discussing how we’ve all scored in the same game for Chelsea. We’ve dreamt of that since we were little boys and we made it happen.”

Chelsea boss Lampard heaped praise on Abraham following the game, with the striker continuing to repay his manager for his faith.

He told Sky Sports: "Tammy is [looking the part] and that's work, having gone out on loan and scoring a lot of goals in the Championship, having a year in the Premier League and now I think he feels the responsibility of the Chelsea shirt as he should. The last three games speak for themselves.

"The only challenge for Tammy now is can he keep doing it? Can he get better and better because the way he's playing, he's a huge threat for us up front and there is competition within from [Olivier] Giroud and [Michy] Batshuayi so he needs to keep it at that level and get even better."

Speaking on Sunday Supplement, ESPN's Natalie Gedra said: "How many complaints have we heard from Chelsea fans about giving younger players a chance? Now you see the likes of Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount and they are ready for it.

"Chelsea are already pulling off very exciting things this season. It's entertaining to watch Chelsea. You see them making mistakes but correcting those mistakes.

"It's a learning process for Chelsea and the young players, but you see Abraham, he is a great finisher. He's good in the air, he's good with the ball at his feet and he's got a lot of pace. Mason Mount came back from the national team more confident and that reflects well on the club too. Chelsea are exciting this season."

https://www.skysports.com/football/...an-be-my-season-after-first-chelsea-hat-trick
 
Frank Lampard believes Chelsea can flourish in the Champions League but is not yet looking any further than reaching the knockout stages.

The Blues host Valencia in their Group H opener on Tuesday.

Lampard's faith in youth is appearing to pay off in the Premier League after his side thumped Wolves 5-2 on Saturday, but he knows European football is a different challenge.

"I'm confident but very aware of the dangers," he said.

"Our target is to qualify from a tough group. It is different [from league football]; the main thing is that the concentration levels throughout the game have to be spot on. The different level can surprise you.

"I have belief in the players. I think we have talent that can blossom in the Champions League.

Lampard won the Champions League as a player in 2012 and the former midfielder is looking forward to making his debut in the competition as a manager.

"I had some incredible nights in the Champions League, and some bad ones," he added.

"It's the ultimate in club football. There is something about Stamford Bridge, Champions League football and that music.

"I will be proud to do it."

The Blues will be without defender Antonio Rudiger after he tweaked his groin during Saturday's win at Wolves - his first appearance of the season.

Midfielder N'Golo Kante and Callum Hudson-Odoi are "fit, but not match fit", according to Lampard, and so will not feature against the La Liga side.

Valencia will be led by Albert Celades, who was appointed last week after the surprise sacking of Marcelino.

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is wary the change in management could make the Spanish side more of a threat.

"I think Valencia will always be a dangerous team," he said.

"At times, these circumstances can make you a more dangerous proposition."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49719162
 
Chelsea's return to the Champions League ended in disappointment as Ross Barkley missed a late penalty that ensured Valencia claimed victory at Stamford Bridge.

Frank Lampard's first game as a manager in the tournament he won as a player with Chelsea in 2012 turned into a night of frustration as Valencia took advantage of slack marking at a free-kick for Rodrigo to score the winner on 74 minutes.

Chelsea, who lost in-form youngster Mason Mount to injury early on, had the chance to rescue a point when referee Cuneyt Cakir awarded a penalty for handball after consulting VAR when Daniel Wass blocked Fikayo Tomori's header.

Barkley had only come on as a substitute eight minutes earlier but insisted taking the spot-kick instead of the Blues' regular taker Jorginho and Willian, who argued his own case to take it before relenting.

It was a tight and tense encounter with chances at a premium and a tricky Group H, which also includes Lille and last year's semi-finalists Ajax, has got even tougher for Chelsea after starting their campaign with a damaging home loss.

Francis Coquelin was booked after this challenge with Mason Mount, which forced the Chelsea midfielder off injured
This was a tough start to life in the Champions League for Lampard and a Chelsea side robbed of the 'X Factor' given to them for so long by Eden Hazard.

The mood in the camp will not have been helped by Barkley's insistence on taking that ill-fated late penalty when it appeared Jorginho, who scored in the Super Cup final against Liverpool, was stepping forward for the task.

Barkley's determination came at a heavy price, glancing a poor effort off the bar and high into the Matthew Harding Stand. He took the kick after conversations with Jorginho, Willian, Tammy Abraham and captain Cesar Azpilicueta.

It ended with a handshake from Jorginho before the spot-kick but it was a chaotic scene with an almost inevitable conclusion.

It was a night when not much went right for Chelsea, starting with what looked like a nasty ankle injury to Mount, who was caught by a reckless follow-through in a challenge by former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin.

Chelsea had their moments, especially when Jasper Cillessen saved from Willian and Marcos Alonso - but Lampard's side simply could not produce the touch of quality to break down Valencia and were too static as Daniel Parejo's free-kick released Rodrigo.

This means Chelsea are on the back foot only 90 minutes into their return to the Champions League and are still to win at Stamford Bridge this season.

Chelsea's disappointment will be even more acute as this looked like the perfect opportunity to get their Champions League campaign off to a winning start against a Valencia side who arrived in London amid turmoil.

Valencia's players and fans had been infuriated by the decision to sack coach Marcelino last week after he won the Copa del Rey last season and took them back into the Champions League.

Marcelino's successor Albert Celades started his reign with a 5-2 defeat at Barcelona on Saturday - but his Valencia side showed plenty of resolve here and were always a threat, which was realised by that free-kick that was just too quick and too smart for Chelsea and resulted in Rodrigo's goal.

This was a real morale booster for Celades and Valencia but a serious blow for Chelsea as Ajax signalled their threat in Group H with a 3-0 win over Lille.

Chelsea's young brigade have taken the Premier League by storm with Tammy Abraham scoring seven goals and Mason Mount on the mark three times.

Abraham found this a much tougher assignment although he still had moments of threat, particularly a glancing first-half header that was off target.

The 21-year-old never lost heart but he was starved of decent service and this was not to be his night.

It was even more painful for Mount, literally, as he never recovered from Coquelin's early challenge and his attempts to carry on ended in despair. He and Chelsea will now anxiously await the medical verdict.

Defender Tomori did well in defence and also made his contribution in attack with a surging first-half run that brought danger and a header that resulted in the penalty.

There will be better nights than this but the Champions League will be adding layers to their learning experience.

Rare losing start for Chelsea - key stats
This was only Chelsea's second defeat in their past 42 Champions League group games at Stamford Bridge (W30 D10), with the other against Basel in 2013.
Chelsea lost their opening Champions League match of a campaign for only the second time - the first was against Basel in 2013-14.
Frank Lampard became the first Chelsea manager to lose his opening Champions League match in charge - 10 of the previous 11 had won, while Gianluca Vialli drew with AC Milan in 1999.
Chelsea became the first team since Liverpool in December 2008 against PSV (Darby, Kelly, Spearing) to hand three Champions League debuts to Englishmen aged 21 or younger in the same game (Abraham, Mount, Tomori).
Valencia registered only their second away Champions League win in England (D7 L3) - their first was a 1-0 win at Liverpool in October 2002.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49719162
 
Chelsea must wait up to 48 hours to discover the extent of the injury that forced Mason Mount off early in their Champions League defeat by Valencia.

Manager Frank Lampard has confirmed Mount, 20, suffered an ankle injury in a challenge with Francis Coquelin.

The midfielder has started all five of Chelsea's Premier League games and made his England debut earlier this month.

"We have to assess it over the next 24-48 hours to see the scale of the injury," said Lampard.

"We don't know how bad it is. It is an ankle injury and it is a shame. He's been playing so well and he started well tonight."

Mount signed a new five-year contract in July and made his first-team debut for Chelsea on the opening day of the season.

He has gone on to score three goals from five Premier League starts, appearing as a substitute in the Blues' Super Cup defeat by Liverpool before his Champions League debut against Valencia.

Former Derby boss Lampard had Mount on loan at the Championship side last season, with the youngster scoring 11 goals in 44 games in all competitions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/49736574?__twitter_impression=true
 
Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham says he "has not decided" on his international future, after scoring in Wednesday's Champions League victory over Lille.

The 22-year-old is yet to play in a competitive fixture for England but appeared in friendly draws with Germany and Brazil in 2017.

He is eligible to play for Nigeria despite featuring at three youth team levels for England.

"I haven't made a decision yet. I am focusing on the club," said Abraham.

"It is always a privilege to be wanted by both nations," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I love both nations and for me I am clearly doing something right for Chelsea. My time will come."

Abraham was part of the England Under-21s' European Championship squad this summer.

England manager Gareth Southgate will name his senior squad on Thursday for forthcoming European Championship qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Bulgaria.

Abraham, who has netted eight goals in 10 games in all competitions for Chelsea so far this season, is joint-second in the Premier League's top scorers' chart.

"I am from an area where I have grown up with different culture backgrounds. I am fully aware Nigeria is a massive country," Abraham added.

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, also speaking 5 Live, added: "Tammy is handling the situation as he does with everything in life. He takes it with enthusiasm, happiness, desire to work.

"He wants to be the best and with that comes international recognition. I say it every day, it is his decision and the next decision on that front is for Gareth. I never want to tell him what to do."

Abraham spent the 2018-19 season on loan at Aston Villa in the Championship and scored his first goal in the Champions League for Chelsea on Wednesday.

Lampard said he hoped to see "many more" goals from Abraham, who linked up with compatriot Fikayo Tomori to score against Lille - the first time since March 2012 that two Englishmen were involved in the same goal in the Champions League for Chelsea.

"Tammy's performance was more of the same of what we have been seeing," said Lampard. "He's hungry for goals, he's physical, he gives everything for the team, he has quality with the ball at his feet.

"It's his first Champions League goal and we'll see many more, I hope, and many more performances like that."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49915106
 
Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori says he is "committed" to England after considering which country to represent.

Tomori, 21, was born in Canada and played for their under-20s team, and is also eligible to play for Nigeria.

He said that receiving his first England call-up for the Euro 2020 qualifiers away to the Czech Republic and Bulgaria was "unexpected".

"Depending on how you look at it, being eligible for three countries is a good thing and a bad thing," he said.

"I wasn't expecting to be in the England squad at the beginning of the season, and once I got the call-up there was no doubt I would commit.

"It's a bit cliched but it is a dream. Growing up in England and seeing the players playing at Wembley, it was such a good feeling. It's indescribable. I tried to take it in as much as possible, but it was a very proud moment."

Tomori's situation is similar to Chelsea team-mate Tammy Abraham, who also qualifies to play for Nigeria through his family and was called into the England squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

Prior to being selected by Gareth Southgate, the 21-year-old striker said he was "undecided" about his international future.

The Premier League's joint top scorer has already played for England in friendly matches against Germany and Brazil in 2017, but is yet to feature in a competitive international.

Southgate has said it would not be "ethically right" to award caps to players so they cannot play for another country. The England boss said the Chelsea pair were in the squad "on merit".

'I owe Lampard a great deal'
Tomori, who came through Chelsea's academy, said he had progressed "quickly" in the last 12 months, having made his first-team debut in August under manager Frank Lampard, who was also his boss when the central defender was on loan at Derby County last season.

He helped the Rams reach the Championship play-off final and was named Derby's player of the season.

Despite being linked with another loan move away from Chelsea this season, he said he had no plans to leave Stamford Bridge over the summer.

Asked how much he owed Lampard, who told him of his England call-up after the Champions League victory in Lille last Wednesday, Tomori said: "A great deal. Playing last season in the heart of the defence for Derby, it does take faith and he put that in me from the beginning.

"He helps me in training and for him to have faith in me when results weren't good or maybe I wasn't, is all I could really ask for. Coming back to Chelsea this season, playing time wasn't granted, so I had to work hard and still have to work hard to maintain my place in the team."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49974689
 
'Captain America' was how Fikayo Tomori described Chelsea team-mate Christian Pulisic in the week. After a hat-trick against Burnley, it might be time for a promotion.

The 21-year-old USA winger marked his first Premier League start since August with a perfect hat-trick (left foot, right foot and header) in the Blues' 4-2 win at Turf Moor.

His first three goals for Chelsea came as such a surprise he did not really know what to do.

"It's my first professional hat-trick so I nearly forgot the match ball, luckily my team-mates helped me out," he told BBC Match of the Day.

The winger was fantastic at Turf Moor, with his first two goals coming following runs from the halfway line - and his third a header. That's right, a header against Burnley.

He terrorised the Clarets' defence, popping up on both flanks as well as through the centre, as the away fans sang his name.

Chelsea beat Burnley - as it happened
Pulisic has not had an easy start to life in England.

He was the only real new face to join the Blues, who were under a transfer ban, this summer - having technically joined in January in a £58m move from Borussia Dortmund, before spending the second half of last season on loan at the German club.

He was straight into the team from the off - but Frank Lampard's side only managed one win from the four Premier League games he featured in during August and so he was out.

Not that he did anything particularly wrong, but Chelsea have an abundance of attacking options and he found it near-impossible to get back in.

"The first few months were definitely hard," he said after the game. "I had a few starts, then I fell out a bit and I was just trying to get any minutes I could."

Pulisic's struggles to get into the team ahead of Mason Mount, Willian and Callum Hudson-Odoi may not have been surprising to many English football fans.

But it was news in the USA, where he is seen as their big hope. ESPN even have an article that analyses every game he plays in.

Lampard has been repeatedly quizzed on when Pulisic would get his chance.

"I'm absolutely delighted for him," Lampard said. "There has been a lot of talk about his price tag.

"He's a star in his own country, quite rightly. You get asked questions about it. I'm delighted to see him deliver."

Following his exile from the team, he made three substitute appearances of under 30 minutes - plus one Carabao Cup start - but he set up three goals in that time, including against Southampton and Ajax.

Lampard may find it impossible to put him back on the bench now. Not that he will want to.

"I know the pressures of a move like that," said his Chelsea manager. "He only had a one-week break this summer [with the US in the Gold Cup]. I try to deal with it as I see best. I've got competition in that area. He's been performing well from the bench, he fully deserved to start and a match-winning performance.

"I hope it gives him confidence, it should do. I'm pretty sure it will do."

What happened in the Premier League?
Pulisic is no rookie, having scored 19 goals in 127 games for Dortmund and another 13 in 34 for his country.

He added: "I just want to be on the field, help the team and make an impact. I didn't think it would be super easy. But I have come on a few times the past few weeks and was happy to start today, it was a special day."

He is now one of many talented youngsters in the Chelsea team as they have risen to fourth in the table with a seven-game winning run in all competitions.

English trio Mount, Tammy Abraham and Tomori have all enjoyed fantastic seasons so far, with Pulisic replacing another - Hudson-Odoi - in Saturday's line-up.

When he first arrived, he could have been seen as a replacement for Eden Hazard, who left for Real Madrid this summer in a deal which could be worth up to £150m.

He was quick to downplay those comparisons at the time - but Hazard said Pulisic could be "one of the best in the future for sure".

The Hazard chat may have died down with Pulisic out of the team, but this hat-trick - already halfway to Hazard's total of two Premier League trebles - will soon reignite comparisons.

He has now been involved in eight goals this season despite so little action. Only Abraham, with nine, has been involved in more.

Luckily he has a bit of help with learning about goalscoring - manager Lampard is the Blues' all-time top scorer with 211.

"He was an incredible goalscorer so we work on it a lot in training," said Pulisic on his manager.

Three down, 208 to go for Pulisic.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50197169
 
Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is back in the squad for Tuesday's Champions League Group H game with Ajax.

Kante, 28, has made just five starts in an injury-hit season, most recently suffering a groin problem.

"We've been able to get some work into him, he's in the squad and he's available," said manager Frank Lampard.

Midfielder Ross Barkley (ankle) and defender Andreas Christensen (thigh) are also in training after injury lay-offs last month.

Victory at Stamford Bridge would see Chelsea go three points clear of Ajax in Group H and put them in a strong position to progress to the quarter-finals, with games against Valencia and Lille remaining.

"I said at the start that this group would be tight because all the teams could take points off each other. That has been proved to be correct," said Lampard.

"After losing the opening game against Valencia, which was disappointing, we have shown a great reaction from that.

"I have to accept it's expected of Chelsea to go through and that is no disrespect to any other teams. I have said already how hard the group is but it is more about our own expectations.

"That is maybe why we had that reaction. We wanted to prove ourselves, we wanted to go to Ajax and Lille and get results, and we did.

"But we won't get carried away with ourselves in this group."

Can Chelsea maintain 100% record against Dutch sides? - the stats

Ajax have never lost an away Champions League match in England (W1 D3 L0), winning most recently away at Spurs in April 2019.

Their last away European Cup defeat on English soil was in April 1980, a 2-0 semi-final defeat against Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest side.

Chelsea have a 100%-win record in Champions League matches against Dutch opponents, beating Feyenoord twice in the 1999-2000 season and Ajax this season.

Ajax have won their last five away Champions League matches - prior to this run, the Dutch side had won just four of their previous 38 away games in the competition (W4 D13 L21).

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has managed more away UEFA Champions League games without losing than any other manager (seven games), winning five and drawing two. Only two managers have lost none of their first eight away games in the competition - Louis van Gaal (first 14 games) and Pep Guardiola (first 11 games).

Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi has scored one goal every 47 minutes for the Blues in the Champions League (3 goals in 141 minutes) - the best minutes per goal ratio of any Chelsea player in the competition.

Dusan Tadic has been directly involved in eight of Ajax's last 14 goals scored in the group stage of the Champions League (five goals, three assists), including six of their last seven away from home (three goals, three assists).

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50294383
 
Frank’s tricky blues have exceeded expectations so far. Need to shore up the defence abit then may even have an outside shot for the title.
 
Mason Mount is some player. Great vision and a midfielder who knows where the net is.
 
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard expects to be told "very soon" whether the club's transfer ban has been lifted.

The Blues were given a two-window ban by Fifa in February for breaching rules around signing young players.

Chelsea elected not to rush an appeal, meaning they were denied the chance to bring in new players during the summer.

But their case was heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport last month and the club expect to be told within days if they have been successful.

A judgement published by Fifa showed 150 rule breaches had been committed by the club involving 69 academy players over several seasons.

When asked when he expects to discover the result of that appeal, Lampard said: "Very soon, I believe. Days, I think.

"I haven't heard any more, so I would wait and reserve judgement [on Chelsea's plans for January] until we get the judgement and see where we want to go from there."

Chelsea's ban is scheduled to end in February 2020.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50649336
 
Chelsea can sign players in January after having their Fifa transfer ban reduced following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Premier League side were given a two-window ban by Fifa in February for breaching rules on signing young players.

Cas halved the ban to one window, which was served during the summer.

It also reduced the fine for the London club from 600,000 to 300,000 Swiss francs (£230,000).

Chelsea play Everton on Saturday (12:30 GMT) and manager Frank Lampard said talk of transfers at the club was now "a discussion we can take up".

"It's a positive outcome for us," he said. "It allows us the potential to look at the market going forward.

"So I'm pleased from a footballing level. It was never my business to get involved in the reasons why or the legal side of it."

Chelsea were given a transfer ban after 150 rule breaches involving 69 academy players over several seasons, according to the judgement published by Fifa.

Cas found that the Blues "did violate" rules "related to the international transfer of minors" and "to the first registration of minors" but "for a significantly smaller number of players" amounting to "about a third of the violations found by Fifa".

The Cas verdict added: "In addition, the violations of other RSTP (Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players) rules were found to be less serious than those attributed to Chelsea by Fifa."

Details of the case which was recently published on a Fifa legal website showed Chelsea claimed many academy players were only triallists and did not play in organised matches.

Chelsea lodged an appeal to Cas against the Fifa punishment, which was also prompted by an investigation into the Premier League club's signing of foreign under-18 players.

Fifa bans the transfer of under-18s to different countries unless the moves meet strict criteria, such as the parents moving to the country for non-footballing reasons.

The rules were introduced to help protect children from exploitation and trafficking.

Analysis
BBC Sport's Simon Stone

Chelsea will be gratified at the conclusion that their transgressions were nowhere near as severe as they originally seemed.

Clearly, Frank Lampard has most reason to celebrate.

It would be wrong to say he hasn't had any new players. Christian Pulisic might have been signed from Borussia Dortmund in January but he only joined the Blues in the summer. In addition, Chelsea officials took advantage of a clause in Mateo Kovacic's loan from Real Madrid to turn that in a permanent deal.

But now he can make the additions he wants.

The question is, after doing far better than most outsiders expected, and with his side looking good for a top-four spot, will Lampard risk disrupting the squad dynamic by signing players next month?

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50668975
 
Chelsea accuse Fifa of double standards over transfer ban

Chelsea say Fifa treated them more harshly than Manchester City despite their transfer ban being cut on appeal.

The Blues' two-window ban was halved by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, freeing them to buy players next month.

City did not get a transfer ban after they were also found to have broken rules on signing young players.

"Fifa chose to treat Chelsea entirely differently to Manchester City for reasons that make absolutely no sense," read a Chelsea statement.

"The approach taken by Fifa to this case has been deeply unsatisfactory."

Fifa accused Chelsea of breaching rules on the signing of 27 under-18 players. However, the Blues claimed that in 16 of those cases, the players were registered in line with advice that the game's global governing body had given the Football Association in 2009.

Chelsea argued that the alleged rules breaches in the remaining 11 cases were either "procedural" or there was no case to answer because of precedents set in Cas' ruling on Spanish side Real Madrid's transfer ban in 2016.

"Chelsea respects the importance of the work undertaken by Fifa in relation to the protection of minors and has fully cooperated with Fifa throughout its investigation," added Chelsea.

"However, if Fifa continues to impose inconsistent and unequal sanctions on clubs then it will not only undermine the very purpose of the regulations, but it will also bring into doubt the game's confidence in Fifa being able to appropriately regulate this important area."
Click to expand...

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50690982.
 
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has defended Antonio Rudiger after he was criticised for his part in Tottenham forward Son Heung-min's red card on Sunday.

Spurs manager Jose Mourinho was unhappy with the Blues defender's reaction to Son's challenge in Chelsea's 2-0 win.

Lampard said it was "disappointing" to question Rudiger's integrity while an investigation into alleged racial abuse directed at the German is ongoing.

"I do defend Toni firmly on it," said Lampard.

Tottenham's appeal against Son's red card - which was issued after VAR ruled he had kicked out at Rudiger - failed on Tuesday.

The South Korea international will miss a home fixture against Brighton on Boxing Day, as well as trips to Norwich on 28 December and Southampton on 1 January.

Mourinho thinks it should be Rudiger's reaction to Son's challenge that is coming under scrutiny, and not Son's action.

"I'm not speaking about the racism incident, this is another thing. I am speaking about that incident, the red card," he said on Monday.

"In the Premier League I love there is no space also for what Rudiger did. Stand up and play man. This is the Premier League."

Lampard responded: "With Toni, in this incident when he's having to post after the game about something we know is a huge deal [racism], I think to question his integrity in that time is disappointing for sure.

"Pretty universally, certainly what I heard in the commentary and the post-match reflection was that the Son incident was a red card.

"It wasn't brutal but it was instinctive that warrants a red card in the modern day. It was pretty clear that was the case. I wouldn't question Toni's integrity on that."

On Tuesday, Tottenham said they had banned a supporter for throwing a cup at Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, but their investigation into the alleged racist abuse of Rudiger "remains ongoing".

'I support all my players in this situation'
Both Rudiger and Son were subject to alleged racist abuse during the fixture.

Rudiger said he heard monkey noises from the crowd, while police arrested a Chelsea fan for a racially aggravated public order offence against Spurs' Son.

Lampard says he has only spoken briefly to Rudiger, who informed Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta of what he had heard and he told referee Anthony Taylor.

However, Tottenham say their initial findings after the alleged racist abuse of Rudiger are "inconclusive".

"I saw Toni's social media post, I thought it was well put, from the heart and something that he feels very strongly about," said Lampard.

"I'll speak to him today when I see him. I would like to think the players know I am with them on anything like this.

"I'll have the same conversation with Toni that I had with Tammy after the incident earlier this year.

"And I will tell them and take the time to make sure he knows I support him, and that I support all my players in this situation."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50901648
 
Chelsea have paid out more than £26m over the sacking of Antonio Conte.

The Premier League club's latest accounts show they paid a total of £26.6m in compensation to former head coach Conte and his backroom staff and legal costs.

Conte was sacked by Chelsea in July 2018 after two years in charge, and was later replaced by Maurizio Sarri.

Former Italy midfielder Conte steered Chelsea to the 2017 Premier League title but was dismissed a year later with 12 months left on his contract as the team finished fifth and failed to qualify for the Champions League.

Conte, who is currently in charge of Inter Milan, also led Chelsea to victory in the 2018 FA Cup, with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the final.

"Exceptional items in the current year of £26.6m relate to changes in respect of the men's team management and coaching staff, together with associated legal costs," read Chelsea's latest set of published accounts, for the year ending June 30, 2019.

Chelsea have paid more than £90m in compensation to sacked managers since Roman Abramovich took ownership of the club in 2004.

https://www.skysports.com/football/...onte-sacking-cost-chelsea-26-6m-accounts-show
 
Frank Lampard was pleased to see the "real Callum Hudson-Odoi" score his first Premier League goal and has challenged the winger to match the high standards he set in the home win over Burnley.

The 19-year-old showed a nice bit of opportunism, stealing in to the box to finish off Cesar Azpilicueta's chipped ball, to net his side's third and seal a comfortable win after a Jorginho penalty and Tammy Abraham header had given them a 2-0 half-time lead.

Hudson-Odoi has admitted struggling to recapture his impressive form from last season because of fears he will suffer a recurrence of the Achilles injury he suffered in April.

But having played something of a bit-part role so far, he carried on his goalscoring form from last weekend's FA Cup third-round win over Nottingham Forest with another strike on Saturday.

"For Callum to score in the six-yard box is more exciting than him scoring from 30 yards without a doubt," said Lampard of Hudson-Odoi, who signed a five-year contract in July.

"It means he is willing to get in there. It wasn't the only time he did that. His overall performance was a statement of what he has to do.

"That was the real Callum. If he carries on like that we will have a real player."

Live text commentary of Chelsea's victory over Burnley
Live text commentary of all of Saturday's Premier League games
Chelsea given helping hand, but deserve the win
Callum Hudson-Odoi scores
The Blues have faltered at the Bridge in recent weeks, losing to three sides near the relegation zone, as part of a run of five defeats in nine games.

They initially struggled to break down a well-organised Burnley in the opening 25 minutes until Matt Lowton's reckless sliding tackle on Willian enabled Jorginho to open the scoring from the penalty spot.

Visiting keeper Nick Pope then allowed Tammy Abraham's close-range header to evade his grasp and find the net to give the Blues a grip on the game before they had even got out of second gear.

The Blues could have had more but three was plenty against a Clarets side who rarely threatened, coming closest to a goal through a Ben Mee header that Ross Barkley hacked off the line.

Already assured of being fourth in the league regardless of Saturday's result, Chelsea's win ensures they preserve a five-point cushion between themselves and Manchester United, who lead the pack below them chasing Champions League qualification.

"It was just what we needed in terms of performance. We should have scored more but I can't complain because we scored in the first half. We've got nervous before when we've had a measure of possession but not scored," Lampard said.

"We were so positive from minute one. It's a big win and one we must pick up on and replicate. It's a nice example of the standard we have set.

"It feels nice to smile in a game and enjoy what you are watching."

As the saying goes, goals change games, and the two Chelsea scored here in the first half are firm evidence as to the truth of this.

For 25 minutes, the Blues looked like a side who have suffered at home at the hands of defensive-minded opponents.

West Ham, Bournemouth and Southampton - sides then with form and league position not dissimilar to Burnley - have all been to west London and left with a clean sheet and three unexpected points.

Despite adding the inventive Ross Barkley to a midfield three already containing Mason Mount they lacked the incisiveness and crispness of passing required to open up a well-drilled Clarets.

But they were given a foothold in the game - one from which their victory was built - through Lowton's ill-advised sliding challenge on Willian in the box.

The Brazilian showed an element of canniness, ensuring contact to maximise the ugliness of the challenge, but such recklessness is rarely tolerated.

Pope's offence was greater. He is a talented keeper, but flapped at Abraham's downward header, failing to make contact with the ball as it sped past him and in.

That left 50 minutes for the Clarets to play with defeat almost inevitable.

Hudson-Odoi made sure of that with his neat finish almost immediately after the break, allowing Chelsea to cruise.

Burnley in free fall

Chelsea 'too strong' for 'stretched' Clarets - Dyche
Burnley's season has been a repeated case of one step forward, two steps back. Three times they have put together encouraging back-to-back results, only to then lose successive games.

The result at Stamford Bridge - their fourth defeat on the spin - represents a new low for the campaign, maybe not in terms of performance but certainly as regards form and league position.

There are mitigating circumstances, with manager Sean Dyche largely reliant on one consistent attacking threat in Chris Wood, because of injuries to Ashley Barnes and Jay Rodriguez.

He almost lost Wood too during this game, with damage to his nose in the first half requiring him to twice leave the field for treatment.

Dyche's attempted solution to his side's current dire run and a return of just five goals from nine games was to play Jeff Hendrick behind Wood as part of a five-man midfield.

It worked in the first quarter, but had too little dynamism and attacking instinct to turn the tide once the second goal went in.

Aaron Lennon offered little, Dwight McNeil was shackled and Wood was left an isolated figure.

"We've got no complaints about the result," said Dyche. "I know Chelsea have been a bit up and down here but I didn't think that was relevant. They are still a strong side.

"This is the Premier League. You come out of two wins and suddenly you lose four on the spin. It creeps up on you. We have to fight for everything. We have always had to do that.

"The confidence gets sucked out of players if they are not winning. We are trying to revive that."

To add to the Clarets' woes, some of their rivals at the bottom have shown a dramatic upturn in fortune. Watford's new manager bounce and Southampton's rejuvenation have blown the battle at the bottom wide open.

Even West Ham and Aston Villa have shown signs of life, the latter most significantly in their 2-1 win at Turf Moor on New Year's Day.

Considering that all seven of Burnley's wins this season have come against sides currently occupying a spot in the bottom half of the table, their next games against Leicester, Manchester United and Arsenal are an extremely daunting prospect.

Pick up some points from these fixtures and optimism will return. Lose all three and the pressure to get anything from subsequent encounters against Southampton, Bournemouth and Newcastle will be monumental.

Man of the match - Reece James (Chelsea)
Reece James
James not look like a player who has made just 10 Premier League appearances. He provided the assist for Abraham's goal, but he was a constant energetic threat down Chelsea's right
Burnley continue to struggle against big sides - match stats
Chelsea registered their first league double against Burnley since the 2009-10 campaign under Carlo Ancelotti.
Burnley are winless away from home in the Premier League against opposing teams starting the day in the top four (D4 L12).
Chelsea have only lost one of their 12 Premier League games against Burnley (W8 D3), finding the back of the net in each match. Only versus Wigan (16), Derby (14) and Portsmouth (14) have they registered a better 100% scoring record vs an opponent in the competition.
Burnley have collected just one point in 11 Premier League games this season against teams currently in the top-half of the division (W0 D1 L10), drawing 1-1 with Wolves back in August.
Tammy Abraham has scored 13 Premier League goals for Chelsea this season - Frank Lampard is the only Englishman to score more in a single campaign in the competition for the club (3 occasions).
Chelsea's Jorginho has scored nine of his 10 penalties taken in the top five European leagues, including all three for the Blues in the Premier League.
No Chelsea defender has had a hand in more goals in all competitions this season than Cesar Azpilicueta (3 goals, 3 assists).
At 19 years and 65 days, Callum Hudson-Odoi became the youngest player to score their first Premier League goal for Chelsea since Carlton Cole against Middlesbrough in April 2002 (18y 197d).
What next?
Chelsea travel to Newcastle for the Premier League's evening game on Saturday, 18 January. Burnley host Leicester the following day.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50990600
 
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard repeated his wish to bring in a new striker after Tammy Abraham limped off with an ankle injury against Arsenal.

Lampard had already made signing an attacker a priority before Abraham clattered into the advertising boards. He played on but had to be helped off the pitch at the end of the game.

"You can't say we will definitely sign a striker but we are looking," he said.

"If you don't score enough goals then you won't win enough games."

Abraham was helped from the field at the end of a 2-2 draw against an Arsenal side who played with 10 men for over an hour and Chelsea do not know how long he will be missing.

Tammy Abraham
Tammy Abraham had to be helped off the pitch against Arsenal
"I hope he's not (out for several weeks), but then if he is then yes, we do have the players to cope.

"But we can't finish," he said.

"We get into the box and we could have had three or four goals today. We are having shots, having crosses and lots of 'ooh' moments for the crowd.

"But we have to be clinical. Do we need to put the ball in the back of the net more? Yes. That's clear. Our chance conversion is one of the worst in the league."

Chances in the Premier League
Team Goals Total shots (exc blocks) Big chances missed* Shot conversion rate Top scorer
*As defined by statisticians Opta
Manchester City 65 332 51 19.6% Aguero (16)
Liverpool 52 257 39 20.2% Mane, Salah (11)
Leicester 48 250 35 19.2% Vardy (17)
Chelsea 41 275 45 14.9% Abraham (13)
Manchester United 36 250 32 14.4% Rashford (14)
Tottenham 36 208 20 17.3% Kane (11)
Wolves 34 195 28 17.4% Jimenez (10)
Chelsea have scored five more goals than Tottenham in the Premier League this season but have had nearly 70 more shots on goal - while only Manchester City have missed as many 'big chances' in the division.

Abraham's 15 big chances missed is the joint highest in the league, along with Liverpool's Sadio Mane, Sheff United's David McGoldrick, Burnley's Chris Wood and Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus.

Abraham will be checked over on Wednesday with Chelsea only confirming that he had ice on the injury after the game. He is the latest England striker to be injured after Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford.

"When gameday comes you have to have the killer instinct," Lampard added.

"We've not got that at the moment. We can't be nervous."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51201588
 
Lazio are interested in securing an agreement with Chelsea to sign forward Olivier Giroud before the transfer window deadline, according to Sky in Italy.

The France international striker, 33, has played just five matches in the Premier League for Chelsea this term and has looked likely to depart Stamford Bridge this month.

Sky in Italy are reporting that Lazio are looking to bring Giroud in on a two-and-a-half-year contract, worth an estimated 3m euros per season.

Giroud has turned down two approaches from Newcastle this month, while Inter Milan and Tottenham have also been linked with him.

Frank Lampard wants to sign another forward before permitting Giroud to move to Lazio, and Chelsea remain in talks with Napoli over a move for Dries Mertens.

Giroud's current deal at Stamford Bridge expires in summer 2020.

https://www.skysports.com/football/...st-club-to-enter-race-to-sign-chelsea-forward
 
Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud will remain with the London club, despite transfer interest from Tottenham.

Italian sides Lazio and Inter Milan were also reportedly interested in signing the France international - who has been short of game time at Stamford Bridge this season.

But Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard says he is happy with Giroud and will not be selling the France international.

"Olivier Giroud in this window has been incredible as a professional and as a man," said Lampard.

"We all know there has been interest.

"I've sat here at every press conference and said 'If it's right for Olivier, for myself and the club', and he's been impeccable in that period.

"I've got huge respect for him as a player.

"The answer again is no. As in, will he leave? No."

Chelsea have been linked with Dries Mertens and Edinson Cavani but Lampard is not expecting to make any signings.

Lampard said: "The window is 95 per cent shut for us, the answer will be no to any players you say.

"And no ins, means no outs."

Asked if the lack of incomings was frustrating, Lampard added: "I wouldn't say frustrating, because I'm very aware of how football is.

"Some things are not in my control. My first thought is always what happens on the training pitch.

"It's clear we wanted to bring players in, I certainly wanted to bring players in.

"I think I made that pretty clear over the last few weeks and it hasn't happened."

https://www.skysports.com/football/...at-stamford-bridge-according-to-frank-lampard
 
Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech this summer in a £38m deal that is likely to be announced in the coming days.

The 26-year-old was a January transfer target for Chelsea boss Frank Lampard.

But the Dutch club were unwilling to sell in the transfer window as they chase the Eredevisie title.

The signing of the Morocco international would be the first by Lampard following Chelsea's transfer window ban.

Chelsea were linked with a number of signings in the January window including Paris St-Germain forward Edinson Cavani and Napoli striker Dries Mertens.

But Lampard's apparent frustration with a lack of new arrivals is understood to have stemmed from clubs refusing to sell rather than any problems with Chelsea's recruitment strategy.

Ziyech contributed to a memorable Ajax goal against Chelsea in the 4-4 draw in their Champions League group game in November.

The winger's free-kick from near the corner flag, curled over Kepa Arrizabalaga's head and hit the far post before rebounding in off the Chelsea goalkeeper for an own goal.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51474234
 
Chelsea Football Club has reached an agreement with Ajax to sign Hakim Ziyech this summer. The move is subject to the player agreeing personal terms and he will remain at the Dutch club for the rest of this season.

A Moroccan international, Ziyech is a left-footed attacker who is comfortable playing off the right flank and coming inside, as he has often done in recent years to such devastating effect for Ajax, or on the left to attack with width and deliver into the box.

How old is Hakim Ziyech and what is his style of play?

The 26-year-old possesses awareness on the ball, is technically capable of executing very difficult passes to break down compact defences, and is also a set-piece specialist, particularly with vicious inswingers from the right side. He has been a prolific scorer throughout his career, with over 100 goals for club and country.

Where was Hakim Ziyech born and what clubs has he played for?
Born in Dronten in the Netherlands, Ziyech started his senior career at Eredivisie side Heerenveen having come through their academy.

He made his debut in a big Europa League qualifying round win in August 2012, and later that month featured in the league for the first time.

2013/14 proved to be his breakthrough year as he netted nine goals and provided nine assists in 33 Eredivisie appearances. It earned him a move to Twente, where his numbers only improved. He scored 11 goals and recorded 16 assists in his first season there, and then in 2015/16 struck 17 times at a rate better than a goal every other game.

So it was no surprise when Dutch giants Ajax came calling in August 2016. The quality of his team-mates improved and Ziyech rose to the challenge; it was not long before the wider world was taking note of the Moroccan’s ability in the final third.

In his first taste of regular European football he helped a young, exciting Ajax side reach the Europa League final and go very close in the league, pipped to the title by a point. Ziyech weighed in with 10 goals and 15 assists in all competitions.

Even though his second season in Amsterdam ended without silverware again, it had been another successful campaign for the attacking midfielder, who started every league game and produced numerous man-of-the-match performances.

What is Hakim Ziyech’s international record?
He was able to show his ability on the global stage in the summer of 2018, starting each of Morocco’s group games at the World Cup in Russia. Despite bowing out of a tough group which also contained Spain and Portugal, Morocco received widespread praise for their attacking play, which Ziyech was at the heart of.

What is Hakim Ziyech’s goals and assists record?
Ajax enjoyed their best season in a generation last term, with Ziyech at the forefront of a side that made Europe stand up and take notice. Real Madrid and Juventus were the sides they sensationally eliminated in the Champions League knockout stages. Ziyech scored in both legs against the holders, including a typically composed finish to open the scoring at the Bernabeu.

They fell short in Europe but had no such problems closer to home, winning the Dutch league and cup double. Ziyech finished with 16 Eredivisie goals and a further 13 assists to his name in just 29 appearances. In a team full of outstanding performers, Ziyech was named Ajax Player of the Year for the second season running.

This season, Chelsea supporters saw the 26-year-old’s quality at close quarters. In the second of our Champions League match-ups with Ajax, at Stamford Bridge, Ziyech set up three of the visitors’ four goals, his dangerous deliveries from the right flank proving too hot to handle. Earlier in the group campaign he scored an unbelievable 30-yard effort in Valencia.

To date this season Ziyech has registered nine goals in all competitions. No player has supplied more than his four assists in this season’s Champions League.

In a ranking of the top eight European domestic leagues since 2017/18, Ziyech is first for assists and chances created, and third for shots taken.

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2...ews--deal-reached-with-ajax-for-hakim-ziyech-
 
Ziyech is a quality signing. Chelsea still need an LB, striker, and CB though.
 
Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi has tested positive for coronavirus, the club have announced.

Anyone to have come into contact with the 19-year-old is now self-isolating.

Chelsea say he "displayed symptoms similar to a mild cold on Monday morning" and stayed away from the the training ground.

The club added that the player is "doing well and looking forward to returning to the training ground as soon as it is possible".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51867854
 
Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi has become the first Premier League player to test positive for coronavirus.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is self-isolating after also testing positive for the virus.

Arsenal's game against Brighton on Saturday has been postponed but there has been no decision on Aston Villa's game against Chelsea on the same day.

The Premier League will hold "an emergency club meeting" on Friday to discuss future fixtures.

Chelsea say Hudson-Odoi "displayed symptoms similar to a mild cold on Monday morning" and stayed away from the the training ground.

The club added that the player is "doing well and looking forward to returning to the training ground as soon as it is possible".

Chelsea's full squad has gone into isolation.

The Gunners have closed their training ground and club staff who had recent contact with Arteta will also self-isolate.

"This is really disappointing," said Spaniard Arteta, 37. "I took the test after feeling poorly. I will be at work as soon as I'm allowed."

Arsenal say they expect a "significant number of people" will self-isolate, including the "full first-team squad".

The club were due to face Brighton in the Premier League at Amex Stadium on Saturday (15:00 GMT) but Brighton released a statement shortly after confirmation of Arteta's positive test, announcing that the game had been called off.

BBC Sport understands all 20 Premier League clubs want to decide on a unified strategy, and one of the possible options that will be discussed at the meeting is postponing the rest of this weekend's scheduled fixtures.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51867854
 
Mason Mount warned by Chelsea after breaking coronavirus self-isolation

Mason Mount will be reminded of his responsibilities by Chelsea after the England international broke his self-isolation at the weekend, it is is understood.

The 21-year-old was spotted playing five-a-side football with West Ham midfielder Declan Rice at a centre in London on Sunday.

It comes after Chelsea revealed in the early hours of Friday that winger Callum Hudson-Odoi had tested positive for coronavirus.

As a result, the full men’s squad, coaching staff and a number of the backroom team were forced to self-isolate in line with government health guidelines.

Mount broke those self-isolation guidelines when he met up with Rice and will be reminded of his responsibilities by the Blues.

The Premier League is currently suspended until April 4 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...sea-after-breaking-coronavirus-self-isolation
 
Abdullah719 said:
Mason Mount warned by Chelsea after breaking coronavirus self-isolation

Mason Mount will be reminded of his responsibilities by Chelsea after the England international broke his self-isolation at the weekend, it is is understood.

The 21-year-old was spotted playing five-a-side football with West Ham midfielder Declan Rice at a centre in London on Sunday.

It comes after Chelsea revealed in the early hours of Friday that winger Callum Hudson-Odoi had tested positive for coronavirus.

As a result, the full men’s squad, coaching staff and a number of the backroom team were forced to self-isolate in line with government health guidelines.

Mount broke those self-isolation guidelines when he met up with Rice and will be reminded of his responsibilities by the Blues.

The Premier League is currently suspended until April 4 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...sea-after-breaking-coronavirus-self-isolation
Click to expand...

Mason Mount has apologised to Chelsea bosses for playing football in public when he was meant to be self-isolating due to the coronavirus outbreak.
 
Chelsea Football Club is joining the medical response to the coronavirus outbreak in London with the news the National Health Service (NHS) has accepted the Club’s offer to make the Millennium Hotel at Stamford Bridge available for NHS staff.

The initiative came from club owner Roman Abramovich and, after contact with the NHS was made by Chairman Bruce Buck, it was decided the best way Chelsea can assist the NHS is to provide accommodation for NHS staff. Mr Abramovich will be covering the costs of providing the accommodation.

Many of the medical staff will be working long shifts and may not be able to travel home or would otherwise have to make long commutes. Local accommodation helps maintain the health and well-being of these crucial personnel at this critical time.

This will be for a two-month period, and then reconsidered in light of circumstances at the time. NHS staff will be those working in hospitals in the North-West London region, but that may extend to hospitals in other districts.

The number of rooms utilised will depend on demand but potentially all the rooms in the Millennium Hotel could be given over for this purpose. No staff showing symptoms will use the hotel.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts, who manage the hotel, are supportive and assisting the club in providing this service to the NHS.

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2...amford-bridge-to-be-used-by-nhs-medical-staff
 
Chelsea are interested in signing West Ham midfielder Declan Rice if the transfer window goes ahead this summer.
 
Lampard admits difficulties with no set return date

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard accepts clubs cannot expect players to "push and push" themselves during the coronavirus pandemic – with no concrete timetable as to when football will return.

The Blues squad continue to train at home during the lockdown initiated by the government.

Given the current situation, the target date for a resumption of games from 30 April appears very optimistic. Lampard, though, feels there is little else everyone at the club can do but try to stay focused on the bigger picture.

"It is very difficult at the moment because we have got nothing concrete in front of us,” said Lampard.

“We have seen that things can change very quickly, so we can only go by the dates we have been given, at the moment it looks like 1 May or the end of April.

“But daily or probably weekly we are looking at it, saying: ‘well, how do we train? What does it look like?"
 
Players may need a short pre-season to readjust when the Premier League resumes after the coronavirus pandemic, says Chelsea forward Pedro.

Elite football in England has been suspended until at least 30 April because of the spread of Covid-19.

The Football Association (FA) has also agreed that the 2019-20 season can be "extended indefinitely".

"You can train hard at home but that's nothing compared to the rhythm at the highest level," said Pedro, 32.

Premier League clubs are due to meet on 3 April and it is expected the postponement will be extended again.

That could take it past the official end of the English Football League season and towards the last round of Premier League fixtures, which was supposed to be on 17 May.

Spain international Pedro told the Blues' club website: "We don't know what impact this suspension will have.

"A lot of clubs have now been apart for many days, so it's going to be difficult to get match fit.

"I imagine there would have to be a short pre-season and then we'd probably quickly get on to the remaining games to try to complete the season, but only if possible as there is a lot of talk that some leagues might be able to finish and others won't."

West Ham United vice-chairman Baroness Karren Brady wrote in her newspaper column on Saturday that the Premier League season could run into July in order to finish.

The FA has already cancelled all non-league campaigns in steps three to seven in the pyramid.

Pedro, who joined Chelsea from Barcelona in 2015, has remained in the UK during the lockdown. His children have remained in Spain along with his family.

"It's hard not to be seeing your children, your parents, your siblings - not having them close by at a complicated, difficult time for us all," he said.

“We are in permanent contact on the phone, keeping in touch about what we are up to in isolation and trying to be as close as possible."

The Spaniard added that he had yet to speak to Chelsea about renewing his contract, which ends in May.

"I belong to Chelsea. My wish is to be able to stay here, but obviously we don't know what will happen," he said.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52077977
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Chelsea are one of the clubs that have been offered the chance to sign Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona.</p>— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1252883624699006976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Chelsea intend to take up their option to extend Olivier Giroud's contract by a year to prevent him becoming a free agent in the summer.
 
The Football Association has taken FIFA to court over Chelsea's transfer ban and their case will be heard next month.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS] will consider the FA's complaint on June 26 over FIFA's disciplinary processes.

In February last year, Chelsea and the FA were sanctioned for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18.

Chelsea's ban and fine were reduced following an appeal to the highest court in sport.

The FA was found to have breached rules in connection with minors and was fined a fee which was later reduced to 350,000 Swiss francs [£290,000] on appeal.


It was also given six months "to address the situation concerning the international transfer and first registration of minors in football."

The FA said it would appeal the punishment and would "continue to work with FIFA and Chelsea in a constructive manager to address the issues which were raised by this case."

FIFA and the FA declined to comment to Sky Sports News over the court hearing.
 
Tammy Abraham of Chelsea "My dad has asthma... if I was to return to the Premier League and, God forbid, I do catch this disease and bring it home it's the worst thing possible"
 
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard keen to extend Willian and Olivier Giroud's contracts

"It's going to have to be something we have to look at, hopefully we can make that arrangement can be made so they can stay with us"

Frank Lampard says Chelsea are looking into extending Willian and Olivier Giroud's contracts if the season restarts.

The pair are the two most notable players whose contracts are set to expire on June 30.

Chelsea's last game was a 4-0 win over Everton on March 8 - a match where Giroud and Willian both scored.

The Blues head coach told Sky Sports News he wants the same squad until the season ends if there is a successful restart.

"It is still uncertain if and when play will get underway. We have big players [out of contract] so that's something I'm obviously looking at very carefully," he told Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp.

"The ones who are out of contract here have been great servants for the club, and actually have a lot of feeling for the club.

"Of course they'll be concerned about themselves, in terms of how training is now is and if the pre-season is a rush they're going to have to make sure they're alright.

"So it's going to have to be something we have to look at, hopefully we can make that arrangement can be made so they can stay with us.

"I would love the squad to look as it has all season, but we'll have to see how that works."

Premier League clubs will vote on Monday over whether a first phase of training can resume, which would see players maintaining social distancing guidelines in small groups, in accordance with government restrictions to control the coronavirus.

'People speaking from the heart'

Lampard has defended Premier League players over reservations they may have regarding a possible return to training and demanded improved communication.

"Everyone will handle those situations differently," Lampard told Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp.

"People like Troy Deeney, you have to give the freedom to speak out, because people will be speaking from the heart.

"I think we have to upgrade that communication so players know what they're going through, and then they can make those decisions."

'Empathy with players important'

With the Premier League having been suspended for more than two months, Lampard insists his squad are keen to return to action, but are also considering the health of their families.

"My lads, I know - and I'm sure all managers will speak in the same way - they're good lads," Lampard said. "Their intentions and their feelings for their families are good. They want to get here and work. They can't wait to get back and play football.

"I think the important part of my job at the moment is a lot of empathy with the players.

"You can't just say, 'lads, we're going this way', because this is a situation none of us have known. This is not a players' strike, it's not a player not wanting to train, or a player having an argument with another player, this is something that has affected everyone and their families."

'Phase one training plans afoot'

Lampard was enjoying a successful first season in charge at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea on course for Champions League qualification as they sat fourth in the table with nine games remaining when the league was suspended.

Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard says he has been making plans for a possible resumption of training next week
If training does resume next week, Lampard says he has been considering how best to prepare his players under the current restrictions.

"We're starting to plan because I think we're still waiting on a few things but we know there's a vote on Monday and there's some testing that's going to be done around that and then we're looking at being back at training early-to-mid next week," Lampard said.

"I've just been talking with the staff planning how phase one will look, because it's going to look quite different for us because of the restrictions."

https://www.skysports.com/football/...-extend-willian-and-olivier-girouds-contracts
 
Callum Hudson-Odoi: Chelsea and England winger arrested and bailed

Chelsea and England winger Callum Hudson-Odoi was arrested in the early hours of Sunday after police responded to a report of an unwell woman.

An ambulance was called to an address in south west London at 03:53 BST and the woman was taken to hospital.

Hudson-Odoi, 19, was arrested at the scene. He has been released from custody and bailed to return to a police station in mid-June as enquiries continue.

Chelsea have declined to comment.

Hudson-Odoi, who has played three times for England, became the first Premier League player to test positive for coronavirus in March.

But he made a full recovery and, like other Chelsea players, is waiting to return to training before any proposed re-start to the season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52704448
 
Olivier Giroud: Chelsea extend striker's contract

Chelsea have taken up an option to extend Olivier Giroud's contract, keeping the France striker at Stamford Bridge until the end of the 2020-21 season.

Having been out of favour for much of the season, Giroud was close to leaving Chelsea in the January transfer window, but remained at the club with Frank Lampard unable to find a replacement forward.

An injury to Tammy Abraham then allowed the Frenchman a run in the first team, during which he put in a series of impressive performances before the season was halted by the coronavirus pandemic.

"I am delighted to continue my journey and adventure at Chelsea," Giroud told the club's website.

"I can't wait to get back to playing and enjoying competitive football with my team-mates. I'm looking forward to wearing the Chelsea shirt again, especially in front of our fans at a full Stamford Bridge, whenever it is safe to do so."

Giroud was one of several senior Chelsea players whose contracts was set to expire this summer. Earlier on Wednesday goalkeeper Willy Caballero's deal was also extended by a year, but the futures of wingers Willian and Pedro remain unclear.

The 33-year-old spent five-and-a-half seasons at Arsenal before joining Chelsea in January 2018, and has gone on to score 21 goals in 76 appearances for the west London club.

Despite having failed to hold down a regular starting role at Stamford Bridge, Giroud has flourished for the French national team, playing a key role as Didier Deschamps side won the 2018 World Cup in Russia

"Since I have been back at Chelsea, Olivier has been brilliant as a professional and as a man in general," Lampard said.

"He has great qualities to help the squad both on and off the pitch, not only with his talent but with the example he sets every day and the experience he brings to our young squad. I am very pleased that will continue next season."

https://www.skysports.com/football/...ivier-giroud-chelsea-extend-strikers-contract
 
N'Golo Kante is prepared to miss the rest of the season, if it resumes, amid fears over returning to Chelsea training due to the coronavirus pandemic.
 
N'Golo Kante has returned to Chelsea training having been allowed to stay away because of coronavirus fears.

The France midfielder, 29, took part in the club's first session on 19 May but then decided to train at home, a move supported by Chelsea.

However he has now resumed individual training at the club's Cobham base.

Kante caused concern among team-mates in 2018 when he fainted after a training session. His brother died of a heart attack the same year.

According to the Office for National Statistics, black men and women are nearly twice as likely die from coronavirus as white people in England and Wales.

Kante's decision followed a similar stance taken by Watford captain Troy Deeney.

Premier League clubs have now started phase two of the return to training, which allows contact and tackling. And on Thursday the Premier League said it is set to restart matches on 17 June.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52843466
 
Quite a few sources reporting that Werner to Chelsea could happen:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chelsea now favourites to sign Timo Werner from RB Leipzig. Werner would be happy to play for Chelsea. Final decision expected early next week. £49m release clause expires on 15 June</p>— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyKaveh/status/1268587334406111234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Liverpool still haven’t started official talks with Leipzig for Werner, always asked for time. Only talks with the player (via Klöpp).<br><br>Chelsea are ready with an official bid and if Liverpool will not match it on next hours, Werner will discuss his contract with Chelsea. ���� <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CFC</a> <a href="https://t.co/tID7WaOw1A">https://t.co/tID7WaOw1A</a></p>— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1268587978999377920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Timo Werner has agreed to join Chelsea. More to follow <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cfc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cfc</a></p>— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) <a href="https://twitter.com/Matt_Law_DT/status/1268591660650422272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Chelsea will get £49 million for Alvaro Morata in July, and look to be adding another £4 million to sign Timo Werner.
 
Chelsea have agreed a deal with RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner.

Reports suggest the 24-year-old, who has scored 25 goals in the Bundesliga this season, has a release clause of about £54m.

The Germany international had been linked with Liverpool and said he was "proud" of that association.

But BBC Sport understands Liverpool are not interested in signing Werner, who has has netted 11 times in 29 games for his country.

Last month, French striker Olivier Giroud extended his contract by a year.

Werner would be Chelsea's second signing for next season after already completing a £37m deal for Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech in February.

He has impressed at Leipzig following his 2016 transfer from hometown club Stuttgart.

Werner scored a hat-trick in Leipzig's recent 5-0 victory over Mainz and he also netted three times against the same opposition in an 8-0 win before Christmas.

In January, Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard was linked with Paris St-Germain forward Edinson Cavani and Napoli's Dries Mertens but neither deal materialised.
 
Chelsea are looking to continue their summer recruitment drive by making a move for Leicester City's Ben Chilwell.

The England international is the club's no 1 target at left back during the upcoming transfer window.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chelsea are interested in signing Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, but Leicester left-back Ben Chilwell remains their number 1 target.</p>— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1270320028311793664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Tottenham, Inter Milan and Lazio are all still keen on signing Olivier Giroud this summer despite the striker signing a contract extension with Chelsea
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To everyone at <a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChelseaFC</a> :<br>I’m incredibly happy to be joining the Blues next season! It feels like the right step for me and I am delighted to become a part of Chelsea FC. Really looking forward to playing for such a fantastic and historic club! <br>See you soon Chelsea fans! &#55357;&#56395; <a href="https://t.co/WLcagJCHWt">pic.twitter.com/WLcagJCHWt</a></p>— Timo Werner (@TimoWerner) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimoWerner/status/1273548277946908672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Well well well :srini
 
Chelsea have agreed to sign Timo Werner from RB Leipzig on a five-year deal.

The forward, 24, has agreed personal terms with the Blues and, subject to passing a medical, will join in July after the German league season ends.

Werner, who joined Leipzig from Stuttgart in 2016, has scored 32 goals in all competitions so far this season.

"I am delighted to be signing for Chelsea, it is a proud moment for me to be joining this great club," said the German international.

Werner, who is known for his pace and can also play as a winger, thanked the club and fans at Leipzig and said they would "would always be in my heart".

His July move also confirms Werner will not play for Leipzig in the Champions League quarter-finals in August.

He added: "I look forward to next season with my new team-mates, my new manager and of course the Chelsea fans.

"Together we have a successful future ahead of us."

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia says the club is "excited" to have one of Europe's "most coveted players" heading to Stamford Bridge.

"He has that rare mix of being young and exciting and yet established and proven," she added.

Werner is Chelsea's second signing for next season after they completed a £37m deal for Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech in February.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/53092225
 
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Timo Werner: Frank Lampard says Chelsea will be improved by 'hugely talented' forward next season

Timo Werner will improve Chelsea next season after the "hugely talented" forward completed his move from RB Leipzig, says Frank Lampard.

Werner has agreed a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge and becomes Chelsea's second signing of the summer after Ajax's Hakim Ziyech.

The 24-year-old Germany international is set to earn more than €10m (£9m) per season in England after Chelsea agreed to pay €50m (£45m) to trigger his release clause.

During an online news conference on Friday, Chelsea head coach Lampard said: "He's clearly a player that we liked. I've certainly followed him for a long time myself individually just because he's a talented player.

"As a club we went for him and he will certainly strengthen us, in my opinion. He's hugely talented, had a fantastic season this year but before that as well.

"Where we couldn't do as much business in the last couple of windows for whatever reasons it's given us a chance to see some youth have more time in the team, but we were very clear about wanting to improve.

"Timo Werner is a signing who will improve us. I'm certainly very excited to have him playing for Chelsea and we look forward to having him."

https://www.skysports.com/football/...proved-by-hugely-talented-forward-next-season
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chelsea have joined Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund in the battle sign Birmingham sensation Jude Bellingham</p>— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1275083622899281920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chelsea winger Pedro will join Roma when his contract expires at the end of the season.</p>— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1276106337731182594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Chelsea are reportedly lining up a stunning bid for David Alaba as Frank Lampard steps up his hunt for a new left-back.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chelsea are the favourites to sign Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, but are not willing to pay the £90m asking price.<br><br>Full story...⬇</p>— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1280830299195297794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kai Havertz is set for a move away from Bayer Leverkusen this summer with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CFC</a> the expected destination, but is the hype - and £90m price tag - justified? ️</p>— Sky Sports (@SkySports) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySports/status/1285243073983700993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Callum Hudson-Odoi is unhappy at his lack of game time for Chelsea and would consider a move away from Stamford Bridge in the summer transfer window.
 
Chelsea sealed fourth place in the Premier League to wrap up qualification for next season's Champions League with a comfortable victory over Wolves.

Frank Lampard's side needed a point from the potentially nervy encounter at Stamford Bridge in order to clinch a top-four place - but they stylishly grabbed all three.

Mason Mount's delightful 25-yard curling free-kick and Olivier Giroud's effort from close range were just 144 seconds apart on the stroke of half-time and they settled the contest.

The loss means Wolves end the season in seventh place, behind Tottenham on goal difference, after Jose Mourinho's side drew 1-1 at Crystal Palace.

However, Nuno Espirito Santo's men face a nervous wait as their league position could still be enough for a Europa League place next season, should the Blues beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final next month.

Chelsea finished on the same points as Manchester United, who beat Leicester 2-0, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side finish third on goal difference.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/53460593
 
Chelsea, Barcelona and Inter Miami have all made contract offers to Brazilian forward Willian.
 
They will be a team to be reckoned with next season. Pulisic is improving then they have signed Werner, Ziyech and could be in for Havertz as well. They are on the up despite losing the FA cup final to Arsenal.
 
PakLFC said:
They will be a team to be reckoned with next season. Pulisic is improving then they have signed Werner, Ziyech and could be in for Havertz as well. They are on the up despite losing the FA cup final to Arsenal.
Click to expand...

Attack is fine. Defense and GK are an issue.
 
Chelsea defence and GK situation are a joke. A big worry is there seems to be no structure to Chelsea defence. Arsenal have a poor defence but they are set up better and have improved defensively under Arteta due to the structure.
 
Chelsea have joined Everton in the race to sign Real Madrid's Sergio Reguilon, voted "the best left-back in La Liga" last season.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thanks for everything <a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chelseafc</a> and Chelsea fans!!! 💪👊🙏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thankyou?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thankyou</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chelseafc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chelseafc</a> <a href="https://t.co/bi9yKzOiU0">pic.twitter.com/bi9yKzOiU0</a></p>— Willian (@willianborges88) <a href="https://twitter.com/willianborges88/status/1292513141763510278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
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