Chelsea are going ahead with their plans to make changes to their squad over the summer. The Blues have made marked improvements since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel at the club. They are eager to build on this with some solid acquisitions before the start of the new campaign.
The German manager is eager to hit a higher gear next season to fight for the Premier League trophy. Chelsea are committed to bolstering their attack, with a world-class striker high on their agenda. The Blues also want to streamline their squad by offloading players who do not fit into Tuchel’s plans.
On that note, let’s take a look at the major Chelsea news from 7 July 2021.
Chelsea preparing blockbuster £150m bid for Erling Haaland
Chelsea are preparing a £150m bid for Erling Haaland, according to 90 Min. The Blues believe Borussia Dortmund will be unable to turn down such a lucrative offer. The Premier League side have been hot on the Norwegian’s trail since the start of the summer.
The Blues are eager to secure a deal this year to avoid a melee for his signature in 12 months when he could be available for £64m. Tuchel believes Haaland will be the perfect man to power Chelsea to the league title in the upcoming campaign. The Norwegian scored 41 goals in the same number of games across all competitions for Dortmund in the 2020-21 campaign.
Chelsea have spoken to the Norwegian’s representatives, including his agent Mino Raiola, and are confident that personal terms will not be a constraint on the deal. The player himself is open to a move to Stamford Bridge and the Blues are now working on the finer details of the bid.
The Premier League giants could include staggered payment options in their offer. Dortmund were previously reluctant to sell Haaland, but such an exorbitant bid could alter their stance, especially since no other clubs are willing to match Chelsea’s offer.
Blues offered chance to sign Barcelona superstar
Barcelona have offered Chelsea a chance to sign Antoine Griezmann this summer, according to Daily Star. The Frenchman has failed to impress since joining the Catalans, who are now eager to remove his massive salary from their books.
The Blues are currently looking to add more fire to their attack and the La Liga giants are hoping that Tuchel will consider Griezmann a competent option. The Frenchman has scored 35 goals in 99 appearances since moving to Barcelona.
The player’s representatives are scheduled to meet with the Chelsea hierarchy in the next few days. Given Barcelona’s current financial problems, the Blues could sign the Frenchman for a cut-price deal.
West Bromwich Albion in talks to sign Chelsea midfielder
West Bromwich Albion have initiated talks with Chelsea to sign Trevoh Chalobah, according to Express and Star. After graduating from the Blues academy, the Englishman was sent on loan to FC Lorient last season. Chalobah scored two goals in 30 appearances for Lorient during his loan spell.
The Baggies are looking to sign Chalobah on a permanent transfer. The 22-year-old has three years left on his current deal but is unlikely to be in Tuchel’s plans for the upcoming campaign. The German is willing to let the defensive midfielder leave, but Chelsea’s valuation of the player is unknown.