Here are your Chelsea evening headlines for Sunday, May 24.
Lampard keen on Havertz
Chelsea are readying an £80m bid for Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz, according to reports.
Havertz, who has shone since the Bundesliga’s resumption earlier this month, is one of the most in-demand young talents in world football.
According to Todofichajes, Chelsea are hoping to steal a march on rival suitors by making a formal offer for the 20-year-old.
The report claims that Frank Lampard has made Havertz a priority as he seeks to bolster his attack.
The Germany international has scored 10 times and provided five assists in the Bundesliga this term.
He also notched three goals and set up two more in his three Europa League appearances of 2019/20.
£50m target now available for free
Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that Mario Gotze will leave the club when his contract expires this summer.
The attacking midfielder has not been the same player since being diagnosed with myopathy, a muscle tissue disease, three years ago.
Gotze was once one of Europe’s most in-demand players, and it was he who scored the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final.
A year after that career highlight, Gotze was a transfer target for Chelsea, who had recently been crowned Premier League champions under Jose Mourinho.
Bayern Munich, who had signed him from Borussia Dortmund two years earlier, wanted around £50m.
The move never happened, though, and Gotze will now be available for nothing when he leaves Dortmund this summer.
Pursuit of Sancho could depend on Man City
Manchester City could play a role in determining the outcome of Chelsea’s pursuit of Jadon Sancho.
As things stand, City are facing a two-season ban from European competition after being found guilty of breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations.
City have appealed that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with a hearing scheduled for next month.
If they are unsuccessful, a fifth-place finish in the Premier League would bring with it a place in the Champions League.
Manchester United currently occupy fifth spot and, according to the Daily Mirror, are reliant on Champions League football to fund a move for Sancho.
If United do not qualify for the competition, Chelsea’s chances of landing the winger would increase.
