Chelsea considered signing 21-year-old Manchester City star before secret move for Cole Palmer, reveals Fabrizio Romano

Chelsea were interested in roping in Manchester City forward Jeremy Doku before signing Cole Palmer in the summer transfer window, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Blues, who splashed over £400 million ahead of the start of the 2023-24 term, added Palmer to their ranks in a deal worth up to £42.5 million earlier this summer. They tied down the Manchester City youth product, who is seen as a Mason Mount successor, to a seven-year deal.

Palmer, 21, has established himself as an important player in his initial few months at Stamford Bridge so far. He has contributed four goals and as many assists in 11 games across competitions for Chelsea.

Speaking on the Here We Go podcast, Romano shed light on the Blues' pursuit of the left-footed versatile midfielder. He said:

"The feeling at Chelsea is that Cole Palmer will probably be a top, top player in the future. They paid an important fee but not a crazy a fee and they believe that in that case, they got a fantastic player for a good price. And so, credit to them because they were able to keep this name secret and private for almost three weeks."

Naming Doku as an alternative target for the club, Romano continued:

"At the beginning of August, they were considering multiple options, including Doku, Nico Williams, and obviously [Michael] Olise... different kinds of players. They decided to go for Palmer at the beginning of August. It was a very secret name, but they were perfect in the strategy and they got a great player, so credit to [the] board."

Doku, who has earned 18 international caps for Belgium so far, joined Manchester City from Rennes for close to £56 million in the final days of August this year. The 21-year-old has netted three goals and provided six assists in 14 overall matches for Pep Guardiola's side so far.

Chelsea set Trevoh Chalovah price tag

According to the Daily Express, Chelsea have slapped a price tag of £25 million on out-of-favor defender Trevoh Chalobah ahead of the winter transfer window. Roma are said to be keen to lure the 24-year-old away from his boyhood team along with his club teammate Malang Sarr.

Chalobah, whose current contract is set to expire in June 2028, is yet to feature in a contest for Mauricio Pochettino's outfit this season. He is currently deemed to be surplus to requirements following Axel Disasi's £39 million summer arrival and Levi Colwill's return from loan stint.

A right-footed defender renowned for his positional versatility, Chalobah has made 63 appearances across all competitions for Chelsea. He has helped them keep 20 shutouts and scored four goals so far.