CHELSEA look like they are finally set to sign Kai Havertz, with the German reported to have had his medical on Sunday.
A deal for Declan Rice could also be done, but only if N'Golo Kante and Jorginho leave the club.
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Get all the latest transfer gossip and updates from Stamford Bridge…
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SPECIAL GUEZ'T
James Rodriguez was spotted at Willian and David Luiz's London restaurant as he edges closer to his Everton transfer.
The Real Madrid flop posed for photos with fans – including Irish jockey Rossa Ryan – inside Babbo, the swanky Italian place owned by the Arsenal pair.
Footballers and celebrities are often spotted at the popular Mayfair eatery with the likes of Neymar, Gabriel Jesus, Rio Ferdinand and Niall Horan all dining there previously.
And it is thought after his meal last night Rodriguez headed straight up to Merseyside ahead of his medical today.
The Colombian, 29, is expected to pen a three-year contract worth £4million per year at Goodison Park as he is signed by Carlo Ancelotti for a third time.
It is believed Real Madrid have accepted an offer thought to be around £22million.
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WELCOME HUGS FOR HIGS
Gonzalo Higuain has agreed to join David Beckham's Inter Miami side, according to reports.
The former Chelsea loan striker, 32, has been forced to find a new club after new boss Andrea Pirlo confirmed his Juventus contract would be terminated.
According to journalist Cesar Luis Merlo, Higuain will sign for MLS side Inter Miami until 2022.
The deal is expected to be announced once the striker has reached a financial agreement with Juventus.
Higuain's huge £6.7m-per-year contract at the Serie A side was not set to expire until 2021.
Reports suggested he would only leave if he was paid the £6.7m he is due for his final year.
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MORNING CHELSEA FANS
Kai Havertz expects to complete his Chelsea move within days – but most of the transfer speculation over the past 24 hours concerns the Blues' midfield.
Bayer Leverkusen's German attacker Havertz is thought to have had a successful medical and reportedly hopes to be training with Chelsea by next week.
But there are reports Chelsea will up their interest in West Ham's versatile England star Declan Rice IF they can sell Jorginho and N'Golo Kante.
The Hammers value Rice at £80million – but the Blues hope to get that down to around £60m.
Inter Milan, though, have denied interest in Kante and there have been few suggestions so far that Jorginho is going anywhere.
Meanwhile, new Chelsea striker Timo Werner says he and boss Frank Lampard have already discussed challenging for the title.
The £53m former RB Leipzig hero revealed how impressed he has been with club legend Lamps.
Werner told Chelsea's website: “He’s been great to work with and he’s been discussing his plans for the future, and how we want to battle with teams like Man City and Liverpool.
“I think Chelsea is a big club and with this team that we have, I think we can reach a new level.”
Edouard Mendy, the keeper most linked with the Blues in the past 48 hours, is said to have been handed a £30m-plus price tag by Rennes.
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RENNES STAND FIRM ON MENDY FEE
Chelsea target Edouard Mendy is valued at more than £30million by Rennes, according to reports.
Frank Lampard has been keen to add competition to the goalkeeper's position amid Kepa's underwhelming form.
A world record fee for a shot-stopper, topping £71m, was forked out for the Spaniard in 2018.
Yet the 25-year-old was dropped for Willy Caballero twice last season, sparking a transfer hunt in the summer.
That has led Chelsea to Rennes star and Senegal international Mendy, 28.
According to the Telegraph, the Ligue 1 club want at least £30m for their No1.
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MENDY VALUED AT £30m
Chelsea told they must shell out £30m for potential Kepa Arrizabalaga transfer replacement Edouard Mendy from Rennes.
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RICE ON MENU FOR THE PRICE OF TWO
Declan Rice will soar up Chelsea's list of transfer targets if they can sell midfielders Jorginho and N'Golo Kante.
West Ham value versatile England star Rice, 21, at £80million – but the Blues hope to get that down to around £60m.
But Inter Milan have denied interest in Kante and there is no suggestion Jorginho is going anywhere.
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WE'LL HAV IT TIED UP SOON
Kai Havertz is expecting his Chelsea deal to be completed soon after already passing a medical, reports say.
The Telegraph claim the Bayer Leverkusen attacker, 21, believes he will train with the Blues from next week.
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TIMO SETTLES IN QUICKLY
Timo Werner says Chelsea's fellow German speakers Antonio Rudiger and Matteo Kovacic have helped him smoothly adapt to England.
The ex-RB Leipzig striker noted: “Having someone who can speak German always helps, and also Kova can speak German too, so he’s helped me settle in.
“They have helped me around the training ground but also in explaining to me where is good to go for dinner, where is good to live, things like this.
“I didn’t know London very well, I’d only visited a few times, so it was really important to have two guys like this helping me settle in.”
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BLUES CAN REACH NEW LEVEL
Striking newcomer Timo Werner said fo Chelsea boss Frank Lampard: “He’s been great to work with and he’s been discussing his plans for the future, and how we want to battle with teams like Man City and Liverpool.
“I think Chelsea is a big club and with this team that we have, I think we can reach a new level.
“We have some very good players here and the manager is there to show us the way, and help us improve.
“We’ve worked a lot on tactical things, as well as our strength and fitness, to make sure we are ready for the start of the season.”
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TIMO AND LAMPS TARGET TITLE
New Chelsea striker Timo Werner says he and boss Frank Lampard have discussed challenging for the title next season.
Werner, 24, arrived from RB Leipzig this summer for £53million amid Lamps' first spree in charge at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues finished fourth last term but Werner told the Chelsea website: “The work with the manager recently has been really good.
“He’s been showing and explaining to the whole team, not just me, what we can do on the pitch and how to improve on last season.”
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COUTINHO RETURNS TO BARCA
Bayern Munich loanee Philippe Coutinho, who has been linked with Chelsea and especially Arsenal this summer, is returning to parent club Barcelona.
The ex-Liverpool playmaker netted as Bayern beat Barca 8-2 in the quarter-finals on the way to winning the Champions League.
Bu a statement on the Germans' website read: “After the treble-winning season, FC Bayern says 'Thank you' and “Goodbye, take care” to Philippe Coutinho.
“The Brazil international, who joined Bayern on loan from Barcelona last August, returns to the Catalan side following the expiration of his season-long deal.
“Due to the suspension of matches resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown, the 28-year-old attacking midfielder’s contract at Bayern was extended to cover the end of the Champions League finals tournament in Lisbon.”
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CHILWELL SETS COLE GOAL
Chelsea new boy has been chatting for hours to Stamford Bridge legend Ashley Cole – and dreams of emulating arguably England's greatest ever left-back.
Cole won 107 caps, as well as winning the Premier League once and FA Cup four times for the Blues, where he is now academy coach.
That followed a controversial switch from Arsenal, where he picked up two Prem crowns and won the FA Cup three times.
And along with a picture of the duo, ex-Leicester defender Chilwell posted: “Great afternoon spent chatting to this legend! Hopefully i can have a career like yours at this amazing club 💙 @theofficialac3”
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KAI CLOSER
Kai Havertz had his medical in London on Sunday, according to reports.
The German is set to be unveiled as a Chelsea player in the near future, having completed his examination before linking up with Joachim Low's squad.
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LAMPTEY FOR JAMES
Chelsea right-back Reece James has been replaced in the England Under-21 squad by Brighton's ex-Blues defender Tariq Lamptey.
James is tipped to pus for a full England place this season, while last season Lamptey fully justified his decision to swap a fringe Chelsea role for regular football with their Premier League rivals.
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WON'T GO WITHOUT A FIGHT
Midfielder N’Golo Kante reportedly wants to fight for his spot at Chelsea as Inter Milan deny they are chasing the French World Cup winner.
Frank Lampard's side are prepared to sell the anchorman for £80million this summer.
But Kante has no intention to leave Chelsea as he is settled at the club, according to Goal.
The 29-year-old wants to cement his spot in the squad after an injury-hit 2019/20 campaign.
He scored three goals in 22 league appearances last term, but failed to make a single assist.
Lampard has not instructed the club to sell Kante despite his huge summer spending spree.
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ED'S UP ON KEEPER MOVE
Chelsea have moved a step closer to signing Edouard Mendy after Rennes made contact to replace him with Alphonse Areola.
Blues boss Frank Lampard wants Senegal international Mendy to provide competition for the inconsistent Kepa Arrizabalaga.
And according to L'Equipe, Rennes have already targeted PSG stopper Areola as their prime target to replace the Chelsea transfer target.
The Frenchman, who is under contract until 2023, spent last season at Real Madrid providing back up for Thibaut Courtois.
But he has been sent back to the French champions, who already have Keylor Navas as their No1.
Areola is keen to move on as he bids to keep his place as France’s third-choice stopper for the European Championships next summer.
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CHAPTER & VERTZ
Antonio Rudiger has been trying to convince Kai Havertz to join Chelsea.
The 21-year-old is close to completing a move from Bayer Leverkusen worth £90million.
And German team-mate Rudigier – who helped get Timo Werner over to Stamford Bridge – has done his best to talk Havertz into making the same switch.
He said: “I made my contribution to Timo. I hope that it will happen with Kai too.”
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard srcured deals for Werner and Hakim Ziyech last season and has added Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell to his squad this window.
Havertz has remained his No1 target throughout the summer, and Bild say the player completed a medical for the Blues on Sunday.
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PERSONAL GOALS
Timo Werner has told Chelsea fans he has arrived to hit the back of the net.
Ahead of Germany's match with Spain, he told the media: “The club signed me to score goals and I didn't go to (London) to just say, well yes, 28 goals with Leipzig last season were great.
“I'm OK with just a few goals now – I want to show what I showed in Leipzig.
“That's why it's more of incentive to say, yes, I want to prove it there as I did in Germany.”
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TUNED OUT
The FSA has called on the Premier League to give fans a chance to watch their teams, saying in a statement:
“Last week the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) had discussions with the Premier League which indicated that 160 of the season’s 380 games would not be broadcast live to UK audiences during 2020/21. They still insist this will be the case.
“It means regular match-goers will not always be able to watch their team as fans are not expected to be readmitted to stadiums until October.
“Eleven games during September will therefore be played behind-closed-doors with no regular match-goers in the UK able to watch those games through legal means.
“As a matter of urgency top-flight supporters urge the Premier League to resolve this issue. Do not stop fans from watching their teams during a global pandemic.
“It would be a disastrous decision by the Premier League and they must listen to supporters.”
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BLUES WAGES
Here are the salaries of the Blues stars after Kai Havertz joins the club.
Is the young German going to be paid too much?
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CHELSEA FIXTURES
A reminder of the Blues' upcoming games after the Premier League resumes in 10-days' time.
The games in September have been tweaked and have revised kick-off times after the broadcasters had their pick of the matches, but matches in October are yet to be sorted, so watch this space…
- Mon Sept 14 – Brighton (A) – 8pm – Sky Sports
- Sun Sept 20 – Liverpool (H) – 4.30pm – Sky Sports
- Sat Sept 26 – West Brom (A) – 5.30pm – Sky Sports
MAKE AND MENDY
Chelsea have moved a step closer to signing Edouard Mendy after Rennes made contact to replace him with Alphonse Areola.
Blues boss Frank Lampard wants Senegal international Mendy to provide competition for the inconsistent Kepa Arrizabalaga.
And according to L'Equipe, Rennes have already targeted PSG stopper Areola as their prime target to replace the Chelsea transfer target.
The Frenchman, who is under contract until 2023, spent last season at Real Madrid providing back up for Thibaut Courtois.
But he has been sent back to the French champions, who already have Keylor Navas as their No1.
Areola is keen to move on as he bids to keep his place as France’s third-choice stopper for the European Championships next summer.
KANT KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN
N’Golo Kante reportedly wants to fight for his spot at Chelsea despite interest from Inter Milan.
Frank Lampard's side are prepared to sell the midfielder for £80million this summer.
But Kante has no intention to leave Chelsea as he is settled at the club, according to Goal.
The 29-year-old wants to cement his spot in the squad after an injury-hit 2019/20 campaign.
He scored three goals in 22 league appearances last term, but failed to make a single assist.
Lampard has not instructed the club to sell Kante despite his huge summer spending spree.
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