Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Blues enter race for £70m Inter Milan star, club contemplating move for La Liga defender and more - 3rd June 2021

Chelsea are expected to streamline their squad over the summer. Thomas Tuchel will be eager to fight for the Premier League trophy next season after winning the UEFA Champions League in the 2020-21 campaign.

The German manager won 19 of his 30 games since taking charge of the Blues at the end of January 2021, losing only five.

Chelsea last won the Premier League in the 2016-17 season and have failed to break into the top two ever since. The Blues have finished fourth in both of the last two seasons and Tuchel will be aiming for the top spot when the new campaign starts.

On that note, let’s look at the top Chelsea transfer news from 3rd June 2021.

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Chelsea enter race for £70m Inter Milan star

Achraf Hakimi

Chelsea have joined the race to sign Inter Milan star Achraf Hakimi, according to reports. The Nerazzurri will be offloading some of their players this summer to address their financial issues.

The Morocco international is wanted by Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, and now the Blues have also entered the battle for his signature.

#Chelsea have entered the race for Inter Milan's Achraf Hakimi, which is set to spark a bidding war with PSG also interested. He is a central figure to Inter's transfer plans at present because they need to raise funds this summer. [@Gazzetta_it via @SempreIntercom]

— Absolute Chelsea (@AbsoluteChelsea) June 3, 2021

Chelsea are impressed by the 22-year-old right-back’s versatility, with the player also comfortable in the right wing-back position or in an attacking role. Hakimi is valued at £70m by Inter and has seven goals and ten assists from 37 games in Serie A this season.

PSG are leading the race for the player’s signature, and the Nerazzurri have already rejected a £52m bid from the Ligue 1 giants. Inter Milan want to sell the player but are waiting for a deal closer to their original valuation of the player.

The Blues contemplating move for La Liga defender

Pau Torres

Chelsea are contemplating a move for Villarreal defender Pau Torres, according to The Hard Tackle via The Athletic. The Blues have prepared a five-man shortlist of central defenders they want to target this summer and the 24-year-old features prominently there.

The Spaniard has been brilliant for the Yellow Submarine in recent times and is also on the radar of Manchester United.

Chelsea is interested in Villareal’s centre back Pau Torres, heading into the summer transfer window.

— MF DOOM (@Tahy_ger) June 2, 2021

Chelsea are eager to find a long-term solution to their backline, with Thiago Silva already in the twilight of his career. Apart from Torres, the Blues are also monitoring Bayern Munich’s Niklas Sule and Sevilla star Jules Kounde.

Olivier Giroud edging closer to a Chelsea exit

Olivier Giroud

Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud is edging closer to a move to AC Milan, according to Sport Witness via Gazzetta dello Sport. The Frenchman’s current contract with the Blues expires at the end of this month and there has been no talk of an extension yet.

Giroud has been linked with the Rossoneri for a long time, but it is now believed that the Frenchman is ready to accept their proposal, which will see him earn £4m net per year.

The player is intrigued by the idea of donning the Milan shirt, which is why he has refused advances from clubs like West Ham United, Valencia and Villarreal.

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