Good evening, Chelsea fans. Here are your evening headlines for Monday, June 27.
United priced out of Havertz pursuit
With Champions League football for next season secured, Frank Lampard’s Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz in a deal which could total up to £80 million.
According to The Athletic, Manchester United were also in the hunt for the 21-year-old but when they held talks over a summer move in January, the Reds deemed his price tag too high at £90 million.
As a result, United have set their sights on another top target: Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho.
Chelsea's pursuit of Havertz has furhter emphasised sporting director Marina Granovskaia’s decisiveness and ruthlessness in the transfer market and she continues to work on knocking Leverkusen down to a fee the Blues deem acceptable.
As a result, Chelsea are likely to secure a move for one of football’s budding young stars, polarising United’s hesitancy eight months prior.
Willian set for Stamford Bridge stay
Willian has reportedly performed a U-turn on his decision to leave Chelsea on a free transfer this summer and has instead opted to sign a new deal at Stamford Bridge.
The 31-year-old initially demanded a three-year extension and refused Chelsea’s offer of two years added onto his current deal.
However, Sky Sports are now reporting that Chelsea and the player’s representatives appear to have struck a deal which will keep him at the club beyond the end of this season.
Willian turns 32 in August and had attracted the interest of Arsenal prior to reports of a new deal being agreed, due to his desire to remain in London.
It now appears as though he will be staying put in the capital, still in the blue of Chelsea.
Chelsea moving on from Coutinho pursuit
Spanish outlet SPORT has revealed Chelsea are no longer interested in signing Phillipe Coutinho this summer.
The club had been linked with the Brazilian playmaker earlier in the season, however, Frank Lampard now has his sights set on Havertz instead.
Coutinho is out of favour at parent club Barcelona and had been touted for a return to the Premier League with a number of sides, including Chelsea, enquiring about his services.
The player’s agent Kia Joorabchian – who has previous dealings and close links to Chelsea – had stated: “We are looking to see if any opportunity arises in the Premier [League], where he has already triumphed.”
Whether Coutinho makes a Premier League switch in this summer window remains to be seen, but it appears unlikely for Stamford Bridge to be his destination.
