Here are your Chelsea evening headlines for Tuesday, July 28.
Werner speaks to Havertz
After signing Timo Werner for £53million last month, Chelsea are now in pursuit of another Bundesliga wonderkid. This time, it is Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz, who is coming off a 12-goal, six-assist season despite only turning 21 in June.
And football.london understands that Werner is now playing chief persuader in an attempt to accelerate Havertz’s potential Stamford Bridge switch.
Chelsea are confident of landing Havertz this summer, though a fee still needs to be agreed upon with Leverkusen, and Werner is playing his part in trying to convince Havertz that Chelsea is the place for him by being in consistent contact with his fellow German international.
Frank Lampard is keen to add offensive talent to his team. With winger Ziyech and the prolific Werner already at the club, signing Havertz in an attacking midfield role could take Chelsea’s attack to a whole other level.
Chelsea preparing £55m bid for Kepa replacement
Amid growing reports that boss Lampard is ready to move on from error-strewn goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, Chelsea are reportedly prepared to pay £55million and £170,000 per week to secure a potential replacement.
Arrizabalaga was dropped for the Blues’ season-ending win over Wolves on Sunday, and, per Sky Sports, Lampard does not think that the Spaniard has a long-term future at the club and is already considering potential alternatives. They include Dean Henderson.
Henderson, 23, has spent the last two seasons on loan at Sheffield United. However, he has now returned to Manchester United and, per the Mirror, is reportedly keen to leave to find first-team football if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is unwilling to unseat David de Gea as the number one at the club.
In such an event, Chelsea would be willing to pay £55million to sign the young English shot-stopper and invest £170,000-per-week wages in his services to solve their goalkeeping crisis.
Henderson has been phenomenal for Sheffield United and would reportedly like to stay at Old Trafford. Solskjaer would also like to sign him to a new long-term deal, but with David de Gea still hanging onto the starting role, a summer sale is possible.
Batshuayi will leave this summer
Unused Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi is set to leave the club this summer. According to French outlet Foot Mercato via Sport Witness, Batshuayi has played his final game for the Blues and “will leave this summer”.
However, the report states that Batshuayi will not return to his native Belgium or sign with West Ham United, one of several Premier League clubs linked with a potential transfer this summer.
Despite ruling out such avenues, it is said that Batshuayi has options available to him and is, for now, surveying which is best for him as he looks to secure stability and playing time after several years without either at Chelsea.
With Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham already returning next season, as well as the arrival of Werner, Chelsea are well set in the striker position, so a Batshuayi departure would not be too problematic.
