Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Ziyech set to seal exit, Lavia medical, and more
Chelsea have become a juggernaut in the transfer market – prying players away from Premier League opponents, sizing up eight-year deals for players and overseeing a mass exodus.
The Blues have brought over half-a-dozen players to the club this summer, while first-team players have been moved out in a bid to refresh the stocks and free up the wage bills.
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As if signing Enzo Fernandez in January for a British transfer fee wasn’t enough, Todd Boehly solidified his team’s midfield by snapping up Moises Caicedo in a £100m deal that could rise to £115m with achievable add-ons.
There’s plenty more to follow after Caicedo, unsurprisingly. The Blues also seem to have beaten league rivals Liverpool to the signature of teenage sensation Romeo Lavia, and on that note, we’ll dive into the latest stories surrounding Chelsea from this week.
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Lavia set for Chelsea medical
At the time of writing, Lavia is already in London to undergo his medical as Chelsea’s newest midfield acquisition.
The fee is reported to be no less than £53m plus an additional £5m, slightly lower than the £60m agreement that was accepted by Southampton for Liverpool’s bid.
In the end however, the Belgian favoured Chelsea, much like Caicedo. Lavia is poised to be unveiled as a new Chelsea player later this week, which would, therefore, take Boehly’s spending to almost £1 billion since taking over the club’s ownership last year.
The 19-year-old’s arrival could turn Chelsea’s attention back to outgoings, as the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Romelu Lukaku among others are no longer a part of Mauricio Pochettino’s plans.
Having lost Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante and Jorginho in the space of two transfer windows, the Blues have completely refurbished their midfield with Enzo, Caicedo and now, Lavia.
Hakim Ziyech to finally end three-year stay at Chelsea
Chelsea and Galatasaray have agreed a deal in principle for the transfer of winger Hakim Ziyech, as per latest reports.
Ziyech joined Chelsea under Frank Lampard and was meant to be the torchbearer of the team’s creative influx on the pitch. Sadly, the move hasn’t worked out, with the winger only netting 14 goals in over 100 appearances.
The former Ajax superstar started just six Premier League matches last season, finishing the term with no goals to his credit. In fact, he had all but joined Paris Saint-Germain on loan but issues with paperwork left him at a crossroads.
In another shocking set of events, Ziyech failed his medical at Al-Nassr earlier in June.
Chelsea finalizing details for Olise move
The French revolution at Chelsea continues, with Michael Olise set to rejoin his boyhood club for a reported £35m. Personal terms were never an issue with the 21-year-old, who spent seven years as a youth at Cobham.
Olise will have to wait for his Chelsea debut unlike Caicedo or Lavia, as he is currently nursing a hamstring injury sustained with the U21s in the European championship.
Manchester City were heavily linked to the winger, but it appears Chelsea are now accelerating their agreement after reaching his release clause.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are keeping tabs on Southampton striker Che Adams as a replacement.
Armando Broja linked with AS Roma
Chelsea forward Armando Broja, who is recuperating from an ACL tear, is on AS Roma’s radar according to Sky Sports in Italy.
A long-term injury to former Blues product Tammy Abraham has drawn Jose Mourinho’s side to the market for a number 9.
They’ve shown an interest in Broja and Atalanta’s Duvan Zapata. However, Pochettino has reportedly refused to let Broja leave on loan in an attempt to challenge summer signing Nicolas Jackson as the team’s striker.
-Roy Akarshak
Twitter: @RoyAkarshak
Photo: Russell Trebor. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.