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Chelsea will face Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League on Wednesday (November 2) at Stamford Bridge. Graham Potter's side have won Group E after five games and lead second-placed AC Milan by three point.
Meanwhile, former Blues striker Tony Cascarino has backed the club to sign a new striker next year. Elsewhere, the London giants have suffered a setback in their pursuit of a Newcastle United midfielder.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on November 1, 2022:
Tony Cascarino backs Chelsea to sign new striker
Toni Cascarino is convinced that Chelsea will sign a new striker next summer. The Blues brought in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this year, but the Gabon International has been a shadow of his former self.
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Speaking to talkSPORT, Cascarino said that his former club could move on from Aubameyang next summer.
"I’m not even sure Aubameyang is a player Chelsea will be looking at next season. I think what will happen is what happened to him at Barcelona. They brought him to the club, got a big signing, then realised quite quickly they need to move," said Cascarino.
He continued:
"I think Chelsea will have to do that as a football club. They’ll come away from Aubameyang by the end of the season, and they’ll look for an alternative without a doubt."
Cascarino also criticised Marc Cucurella, saying that the Spaniard has looked lost and bereft of ideas at times.
"Chelsea had mistakes everywhere. It’s hard to identify one player or go for a scapegoat. The whole team were well off their pace in the game. Even players like Cucurella were all over the place, he really was. He looked like he didn’t know where to be," said Cascarino.
He added:
"He’s a £60m signing that Chelsea have made. He may have suffered because Graham Potter brought him off before half-time (against Manchester United) and changed systems with him. He looks like a guy that’s completely lost being at a big club at the moment."
Cucurella has appeared 15 times across competitions for the London giants this season.
Blues suffer setback in Bruno Guimaraes pursuit
The Blues have hit a roadblock in their pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes. According to Football Insider, Newcastle United are confident of tying the Brazilian down to a new blockbuster deal.
The 24-year-old has lit up St. James' Park since arriving in January this year. Guimaraes has picked up seven goals in 27 appearances across competitions for the Magpies, prompting interest from clubs around Europe, including the Blues.
The London giants want to revamp their options in midfield, with the future of both N’Golo Kante and Jorginho up in the air. Chelsea have their eyes on Guimaraes but might have to move on to alternate targets. The player’s contract with Newcastle runs till 2026, but the Magpies are planning to extend his stay till 2028.
The Brazilian is also set to receive a massive pay hike that will take his wages to around £200,000 per week. Newcastle are confident Guimaraes will agree the terms and expect him to commit his future to the club soon. The player is expected to be named in Brazil's squad for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this month.
Benjamin Pavard unhappy at Bayern Munich
Benjamin Pavard is unhappy at Bayern Munich, according to journalist Florian Plettenberg via Caught Offside.
The French full-back is a target for Chelsea, who are looking to add more quality to the right-back slot. The London giants monitored the player over the summer and are now considering a move for him next year. Pavard’s Bayern contract expires in 2024, but he's yet to be offered a new contract.
The Frenchman is reportedly frustrated with his situation at the Allianz Arena and has left training early twice in a row.
The Blues could look to take advantage of his ongoing tussle with the Bavarians and bring the player to Stamford Bridge. Pavard is comfortable in a back three as well and would be a natural fit in Graham Potter’s tactics.
