Transfer News: Chelsea to focus on Niklas Sule as talks intensify

According to transfer news from The Athletic (subscription required), Chelsea are set to go after Niklas Sule. The Blues are looking to take advantage of the Bayern Munich defender’s situation at the club and are ramping up efforts to sign him.

Chelsea and Tuchel are said to be after a new centre-back as they look to refresh their defensive options for next season. The club have relied on the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma this season.

Fikayo Tomori was sent out on loan to AC Milan after being deprived of opportunities. It is understandable that Chelsea would want to go for another solid defender, with Tuchel reverting to a three-man defence. Add to that, Silva and Azpilicueta are ageing and will need to be replaced soon.

The Blues have shortlisted Bayern’s Niklas Sule as a potential option. They are hoping to take advantage of his contract situation at the club. His current deal is set to end in 2022 and there have been no talks of an extension. However, Bayern have been too occupied with Hansi Flick’s request to leave the club and other internal issues.

There is another reason that Sule is a feasible transfer target for Tuchel because Bayern still don’t feel that he is ready to step into the side as a first-choice. Defensive stalwarts David Alaba and Jerome Boateng are set to leave the club and Bayern are of the opinion that Sule is not an adequate replacement. There has also been criticism of the player, which further strengthens the aforementioned statement.

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Sule may be having his troubles at Bayern but he is still a talented defender who has the potential to shine. Chelsea should keep tabs on the situation and nab him from them if the situation remains the same. In case a new contract is not agreed to, Chelsea might just be able to land a bargain deal.

Transfer News: Romelu Lukaku expected to return to Premier League with Chelsea as frontrunners

According to transfer news from The Athletic (subscription required), Romelu Lukaku could look to return to the Premier League and Chelsea are among those contemplating a move. This comes from several sources such as agents and club directors that the Belgian could return to England just after two seasons at Inter Milan.

Lukaku has been in sensational form for Inter Milan since joining them in 2019. He is leading their title charge this season with his goals. The Belgian has formed a deadly partnership with fellow striker Lautaro Martinez. The Belgian striker is no stranger to Chelsea given he spent three years at the club.

However, he couldn’t score even once. He spent the second and third years of his Stamford Bridge career out on loan before leaving permanently for Everton. Lukaku then moved to Manchester United in 2017 and despite decent numbers, he was let go to Inter, where he has resurrected his career. He has scored at a fantastic pace there, with 61 goals in 88 appearances.

The Blues have had their problems with forwards in recent seasons, with no striker seemingly being able to nail down a starting berth. The links to Lukaku have been established with the global economy taking a hit and Inter’s Chinese owner owe transfer payments to several clubs. That makes Lukaku’s exit a very real possibility and Chelsea are also looking to add a striker to their squad.

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There is no doubt that Chelsea would regret letting go of the striker in 2014 and then seeing him flourish. Lukaku has honed his skills in the last few years and is a lethal striker for both club and country. This will no doubt be an interesting saga to follow given the history between the player and the club and several other factors.

Transfer News: Tammy Abraham considering his Chelsea future after latest snub

According to transfer news from The Guardian, Tammy Abraham is considering his future at Chelsea after being snubbed again. The striker was again absent as the Blues managed to topple Manchester City to book a place in the FA Cup final.

It has become an all too familiar sight to see the academy graduate on the bench or absent from the squad in recent weeks. The last game was no different as Tammy could not even find himself in the matchday squad. In fact, some of the players were surprised about his exclusion.

Abraham broke into the first-team last season under Frank Lampard and was a vital part of the side that finished fourth. However, the England international has slipped down the order after the arrival of Thomas Tuchel and Timo Werner. The likes of Werner, Kai Havertz and Olivier Giroud have been preferred ahead of the academy graduate.

There have also been reports of Chelsea going after a new forward next season, with the likes of Erling Haaland and Romelu Lukaku linked. Tammy has already refused to extend his contract and with his current deal expiring in 2023, one can’t help but think that he could be offloaded next season itself.

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There is obviously no shortage of suitors for the English striker as Leicester City and West Ham have shown interest. Both clubs are looking to add a forward to their ranks. Tuchel has often cited his ankle injury as the reason for not playing but with the striker being on the bench on several occasions and not being used, it does look like Tammy will have to consider his future at the club.

Transfer News: Chelsea can offer one of these four players for Raphael Varane

According to transfer news from Express, Chelsea are willing to offer one of their players in a swap deal for Raphael Varane. The Blues have become the latest club to register their interest in the Real Madrid star. Rivals Manchester United are also said to be in the running for him.

Varane has been a stalwart at the back for Real Madrid for almost a decade now and has won loads of trophies during his time at the club. However, the Frenchman is entering the final year of his contract with Los Blancos and wants a new challenge in his career.

While Chelsea remain interested in the player, they also have to trim their squad, which is overstocked at this point. Hence, they could just look to offer one of their players in a swap deal. Express understands that Chelsea are willing to offer either Kepa, Tammy Abraham, Jorginho or Hakim Ziyech.

The Moroccan has struggled massively this season and could be allowed to leave after just one season. Jorginho has often been linked with a move back to Italy, with his future relatively uncertain at this point.

Then there is Spanish keeper Kepa. The error-prone shot-stopper has been demoted to being the second choice and a return to Spain looks possible. Lastly, there is out-of-favour striker Tammy Abraham, who has suffered from injuries and cannot seemingly get a game under Thomas Tuchel.

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Chelsea should get a closer look at their transfer target when the Blues face off against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Manchester United’s presence in the race to sign him from Madrid does complicate matters for the Blues. It now remains to be seen if there is any move made to seal the transfer of Varane.