2 Chelsea stars among unvaccinated Premier League players struggling to secure transfers: Reports

Chelsea midfielders N'Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek could face the uphill task of securing moves elsewhere as European clubs are reportedly reluctant to sign unvaccinated players this summer.

Earlier this week, the Blues left for the United States for their pre-season training tour without Kante and Loftus-Cheek because of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

The club will have a week-long training camp before facing Club America and Charlotte FC in Las Vegas and Charlotte, respectively. They will finally conclude their tour by playing a friendly against Arsenal in Orlando on July 23.

While Loftus-Cheek returned a positive test in August last year, Kante tested positive for COVID-19 in the following month.

According to The Telegraph, European clubs are not prepared to pursue an interest in unvaccinated players to avoid another potential spike in COVID-19 infection. The report further stated that "the phone calls stop immediately" as soon as the clubs are informed about their target's negative vaccination status.

The general consensus, as claimed by the aforementioned report, is that unvaccinated players are "too much trouble to accommodate". In certain scenarios involving an outbreak, unvaccinated players will be unable to travel with their teammates or go away on mid-season breaks.

Kante, 31, is in the final year of his contract and is said to be in the hopes of one last major move. On the other hand, Loftus-Cheek has two years left on his current deal, but the club is open to listening to offers for the England international.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are in the market for a midfielder. According to various sources, the Blues are interested in acquiring the services of Barcelona playmaker Frenkie de Jong (via The Guardian), Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (via The Sun) and West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice (via The Sun).

Chelsea to announce Raheem Sterling in the coming days

According to Sky Sports, Chelsea have reached an agreement with Manchester City to sign forward Raheem Sterling for an initial fee of £47.5 million fee plus bonuses.

The 27-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the option of an extra year. He is expected to complete his medical in the next few days before joining the rest of the squad in the United States.

In his column on CaughtOffside, acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano provided some insight on the soon-to-be-completed transfer. He wrote:

"The announcement of Raheem Sterling at Chelsea will come just after the medical tests in London, which have been scheduled. He has signed until 2027 with the option of a further year.

Sterling has been a top target for the Blues for some time now. The club started working on this deal just before the UEFA Champions League final, with direct contact with intermediaries at the end of May."

He continued:

"Thomas Tuchel has insisted a lot on this signing because he considers Sterling a perfect player for his tactical ideas and the style of play of Chelsea. Tuchel has had more than a direct contact with Raheem, and was highly influential in persuading the player."