Here are the Chelsea morning headlines for Wednesday, August 19.
Atletico Madrid star hints at his ‘love for Chelsea’
Chelsea’s potential move for Atletico Madrid centre-back Jose Gimenez may have received a surprise boost, after the Uruguay international revealed his childhood love of the Blues.
Gimenez is one of a list of defenders linked with a summer switch to Stamford Bridge, as Frank Lampard looks to strengthen his defensive options ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.
Lampard has reportedly highlighted West Ham United star Declan Rice as his first-choice option, but Gimenez’s comments will only heighten speculation of Lampard reigniting his interest in the 25-year old.
"I would have liked to play with Lampard,” he told an interview with La Liga TV, reported via the Daily Star.
"I always used to watch Chelsea as a kid, loved them."
Atletico Madrid will battle hard to keep hold of their defensive lynchpin however, with his current release clause set at €120million with Diego Simeone’s side.
Luka Modric lifts the lid on his failed Chelsea move in 2011
Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric has revealed he was close to joining Chelsea in 2011, after meeting Blues owner Roman Abramovich on his private yacht.
Modric’s impressive performances at White Hart Lane following his arrival in 2008 caught the eye of Europe’s top clubs, and the Croatia international confirmed Abramovich reached out over a potential cross-city move.
"I was open to the idea of moving, but then things happened at lightning speed,” Modric explained in his new autobiography. "First, Vanja and I took a private jet from Zadar to Cannes. Then, a van with tinted-glass windows took us to Nice and we were picked up by Roman Abramovich’s security, who put us on a speedboat and took us to his yacht.
"My feeling was it was time to move – I wanted to fight for trophies and win titles, and I felt this wouldn’t happen if I stayed at Tottenham. I wanted to move to a more ambitious club.
"Abramovich asked if I thought Tottenham would fight to keep me, and I told him the negotiations would be tough, as I knew the clubs were not on good terms.
"I arrived in London before pre-season training and spoke to the chairman. There were no harsh words or insults, but the conversation was tense. He reprimanded me for announcing I wanted to leave and repeated that Tottenham had no intention of selling at any price.”
Daniel Levy sanctioned Modric’s exit to La Liga giants Real Madrid 12 months later in a £30m deal.
Chelsea handed August 28 deadline for Kai Havertz deal
Chelsea have reportedly been set a 10-day deadline to complete a deal for Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz.
The Blues are keen on a £70m move for the German international ahead of the 2020/21 season.
However, according to reports from German outlet Bild, Leverkusen want their star man’s future to be confirmed before their return to pre-season training on August 28.
The Bundesliga club are rumoured to be expecting a concrete bid from Lampard’s side in the coming days, amid renewed interest from rivals Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
