Here are your Chelsea morning headlines for Monday, 14 September.
Chelsea manager hits back at ‘amusing’ Jurgen Klopp comments
Frank Lampard has hit back at “amusing” comments from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp over Chelsea’s spending in the transfer market this summer.
Klopp labelled the defending Premier League champions a “different kind of club” to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, highlighting the six summer signings made by the Blues ahead of the new season.
Lampard highlighted the amount of money Liverpool have spent in recent years in his response.
“I found it slightly amusing because I think when you talk about the owners of clubs, I don’t think it matters what line of business they come from,” he said. “We are talking about some very wealthy owners of clubs in the Premier League.
“With Liverpool’s story, I referenced it a lot last year. It’s a fantastic story of a club over the four and a half or five years that Jurgen Klopp’s been there where they’ve managed to get recruitment right to a really high level.
“You can go through the Liverpool players - Van Dijk, Alisson, Fabinho, Keita, Mane, Salah. Incredible players that came at a very high price. Liverpool have done it over a period of time.”
Chelsea changed plans on Atletico Madrid goalkeeper
Chelsea had planned to target Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak this summer before changing tact and moving for Rennes’ Edouard Mendy instead.
According to the Daily Mail, the Blues had lined up Oblak as their top target to replace unwanted goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga as the number one at Stamford Bridge, but were forced to change their plans.
Atletico Madrid made it clear they would not be prepared to budge on their stance that Oblak would not be allowed to leave the club for less than his £110million buyout clause.
This prompted Chelsea to look elsewhere, with Mendy identified as their top target. The Rennes goalkeeper is expected to complete a move to Stamford Bridge at some point this week.
Mason Mount relishing competition after Chelsea summer spending spree
Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount insists he is relishing the new competition at the club after the arrival of six new signings over the summer transfer window.
Mount now finds himself in direct competition with new signings Kai Havertz and Timo Werner for a place in the Chelsea side, but the England international believes this will only help push him to improve his game.
“You look at our team now and some brilliant, world class players have come in and that keeps the competition high,” Mount told Sky Sports.
“Everyone is pushing for places and that’s what you want at a club like this. You want the competition to be there because it keeps standards high.
“When you’re in this building, you’re competing straight away. Chelsea is a massive club so they are always going to sign top players. You know that’s going to happen. We’re all competing and the gaffer wants high standards in training. I love competing against my team-mates, we all love it.”
