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Chelsea are lining up moves for a striker and a defender this summer, while Premier League rivals Arsenal are set to bid for a £117m La Liga duo…
£181M DUO IN AT CHELSEA?
The Blues are now ‘strong contenders’ to beat Premier League rivals to Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer, according to reports.
Osimhen has scored 25 goals in all competitions this season with the Nigeria international bagging 21 of those in 23 Serie A matches and a number of clubs are taking a serious interest, including Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Manchester United.
And now the Evening Standard claims that Chelsea now regard the 24-year-old as a ‘primary target as they pursue another physical forward’ with Osimhen ‘aware of interest from the Blues’.
It is understood that Man Utd are still deciding between Osimhen and Tottenham striker Harry Kane and the report adds that Chelsea ‘may have a small emotive edge in that Osimhen grew up idolising Blues legend Didier Drogba’.
There have been rumours that Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis could ask for as much as £150m for the Nigerian and the Evening Standard describes Chelsea and Man Utd’s dealings with him as their ‘biggest challenge’.
Meanwhile, Spanish publication Sport claim that Barcelona wing-back Alejandro Balde is also the subject of interest from Chelsea with the Spaniard’s contract expiring at the Camp Nou in 2024.
It is understood ‘negotiations are on the right track’ over a new contract for Balde – who is valued at around £31m – but they are ‘not closed’ and Barcelona still have ‘salary limit problems’.
That leaves Chelsea and other clubs with the chance to swoop in for Balde with Sport insisting that Blues defender Ben Chilwell ‘could be out at the end of the season’.
TWO PLAYERS LEAVING CHELSEA?
Kai Havertz and Reece James could be joining Chilwell as potential departees in the summer transfer window, according to reports.
90min claim that Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich ‘are keen to sign’ Havertz with former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel keen to be reunited with his former forward.
Tuchel replaced Julian Nagelsmann at Bayern last week and has Havertz, as well as Mason Mount, on his list of players he wants to bring to the Allianz Arena in the summer.
Havertz is ‘ahead of’ Mount on their wishlist and Bayern – who have been admirers of the Germany international for a long time – see Havertz as the ‘long-term replacement for veteran forward Thomas Muller’.
And Football Insider insist that Chelsea are also ‘preparing to face a huge bid from Real Madrid’ for James in the next transfer window with ‘big admirers’ Los Blancos making him a ‘top transfer target’.
Despite that, the Blues ‘remain confident that James will stay put in London’ with the England international recently signing a new deal until 2028.
ARSENAL WEIGH UP BIDS FOR LA LIGA DUO
Arsenal are keen on signing Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and Barcelona winger Raphinha in the summer, according to reports.
Spanish publication Nacional claim that the form of Eduardo Camavinga this season has seen his team-mate Tchouameni become the ‘major victim’ with regular appearances on the bench.
And Real Madrid ‘don’t rule out’ a sale for the France international this summer with Arsenal among the interest parties. A transfer would set the Gunners back €70m (£62m) with Real hoping ‘to recover’ most of the €100m investment they made when they bought him from Monaco.
Tchouameni isn’t the only La Liga player Arsenal are interested in with Mikel Arteta and technical director Edu ‘considering a bid’ for Barcelona playmaker Raphinha.
The Brazil international left Leeds United at the end of last season but he hasn’t started quite as many games as he would’ve wanted at Barcelona and ‘he could be put up for sale at the end of the season’.
Arsenal, who were also reportedly interested in January, are said to be ‘aware’ of his situation and with Barcelona struggling financially, Raphinha is ‘one of a handful of players that could be sold to raise funds’.
Barcelona ‘would want to at least make their money back on their investment should he be sold this summer’ after purchasing the Brazilian from Leeds for £55m.
