Chelsea transfer news: Heynckes rules out Vidal move, Hazard set to become Premier League's highest-paid player and more - 7th January 2018

Arturo Vidal is staying at Bayern Munich

Chelsea will not sign Arturo Vidal in January

It was being reported that Antonio Conte could be reunited with Bayern Munich star Arturo Vidal this summer, but Sky Sports has confirmed that Jupp Heynckes has refused to sell the Chile international.

"Certainly, there's been no contact between the clubs," Heynckes said.

"It's just speculation. Arturo Vidal is very motivated, he's a top player and we need him at his very best if Bayern is to play well," he added.

With the Bundesliga club close to securing Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka, it was quite likely that Vidal could be Chelsea bound.

Vidal, with whom Conte won three Serie A titles, would have been an invaluable asset in Chelsea's 3-4-3 formation as a box-to-box player behind the strikers.

The 30-year-old, whose contract with the German club runs until 2019, was being linked to a £60 million move to Stamford Bridge.

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Diego Simeone under Chelsea's radar

Conte won the Premier League in his debut season in England

The Daily Star has reported that Chelsea are planning to replace manager Antonio Conte with Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone at the end of the season.

The 48-year-old Conte, who became an overnight hero after winning the Premier League title in his first season in England, is contracted with the Blues for one more year and has been repeatedly linked with a move back to Italy.

On the other hand, Simeone, who took over the reigns of the Madrid-based outfit in December 2011, led them to La Liga glory in 2013-14, breaking the Barcelona-Real Madrid duopoly, for the first time in a decade.

He also won UEFA Europa League, Copa del Rey and led Atletico to two UEFA Champions League finals.

In addition to the Argentine, the west London club are also keeping tabs on Maurizio Sarri and Massimiliano Allegri as potential replacements Conte.

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Eden Hazard set to extend his Chelsea contract

Eden Hazard was named the Belgian FA's "Devil of the Year"

Eden Hazard has consistently been linked with a move to Real Madrid for quite some time now, but The Express has reported that the Belgian has finally decided to sign a new deal at Chelsea, which will make him the highest paid player in the Premier League.

There were reports that Los Blancos were willing to smash the British transfer record to sign Hazard, who saw off the challenge of former Chelsea players Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku to be named the Belgian FA's "Devil of the Year."

The La Liga club were planning a record £120m move for the 26-year-old winger, whose current deal at Stamford Bridge expires in 2020.

However, the Blues have a bumper £300,000-a-week contract for Hazard, which he is expected to sign anytime soon.