Ayoola: Hopefully, he lives up to expectations. He's the kind of player who fits into Chelsea's project.
James: Sorry but I can't get overly excited about this move! It is blatantly obvious that a top class keeper is needed yet Enzo Maresca seems happy. Hope Jamie Gittens and Liam Delap can strike up a good partnership quickly
Scott: In a word, underwhelming. His stats are not impressive. I'd rather have went for Marcus Rashford or Alejandro Garnacho who are desperate to get out of Manchester United.
Terence: Well Chelsea have bought three " top-drawer" strikers so it's time to get rid of Nicolas Jackson and let the new strikers prove themselves. Personally, I was happy with just Delap and Estevao joining as the new strikeforce.
David: We seem to now have seven or eight top-class forwards but still have a truly worrying goalkeeper. Surely buying a top-class keeper would have been better use of our multi-million purchases?
Chris: I suppose he'll fit in with the rest of the wide men we have, but a world-class goalkeeper would have been nice?
Chelsea win in CWC but Uefa sanctions pose problemspublished at 17:17 5 July
17:17 5 July
Nizaar Kinsella BBC Sport football news reporter at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will see his team earn a substantial $21m dollars after beating Palmeiras in Fifa's Club World Cub but Uefa sanctions still pose a problem.
The Blues will rightly celebrate a 2-1 win over the Brazilian giants, helped by a wonderful Cole Palmer goal at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
However, on the same day Fifa provided a windfall and something to celebrate, there was concerning news from Uefa.
Uefa's governing body announced an initial fine of 31m euros (£26.7m) and Chelsea could be fined a further 60m euros (£51.2m) over the next four years should they continue to not fulfil the financial controls enforced by European football's governing body.
Further to this, the sanction stipulates Chelsea must balance the books in Europe and make sure to end the transfer window with a "positive balance" or be unable to register new players, including new signings like Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Estevao Willian and Jamie Gittens.
Not only that, they must sell players that were previously on the A list in Uefa competition, in this case the Conference League squad from the second half of last season.
That means that balancing the £170m of purchases this summer needs to come from those registered from Europe's third tier, which Chelsea won, with only Marcus Bettinelli, sold for a nominal fee to Manchester City, thus far counting.
Sales of forwards Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke and Christopher Nkunku are not ruled out. Trevoh Chalobah could also be sold from the current squad.
The sales of Kepa Arrizabalga to Arsenal for £5m and defender Bashir Humphreys for £12.7m to Burnley do not count, neither would fees for Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Armando Broja, Joao Felix and Renato Veiga, who were not selected for the Club World Cup and are deemed surplus to requirements.
This is a very complex case and it is not clear how many players will need to be sold but Chelsea say they are confident of future compliance and have spoken of their ongoing support for Uefa's rules.
Gittens ready to 'push to the max'published at 15:09 5 July
15:09 5 July
Image source, Getty Images
New Chelsea signing Jamie Gittens says it is "an amazing feeling" to make the switch from Borussia Dortmund to Stamford Bridge.
The English forward completed his long-mooted move on Saturday and is determined to prove his worth in the Premier League.
"It feels great," Gittens said. "It's a great feeling to join such a big club as Chelsea.
"I can't wait to learn from everyone in the team and to push myself to the max here. It's an amazing feeling."
The England Under-21 international has featured for Dortmund in the Club World Cup, after a 2024-25 season that included 12 goals and five assists in 48 games.
'Let's go and exceed expectations' - fans on Palmeiras winpublished at 14:04 5 July
14:04 5 July
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views following Chelsea's 2-1 victory over Palmeiras to reach the semi-finals of the Club World Cup.
Here are some of your comments:
Mujahid: Target accomplished. Before this tournament, my target for Chelsea was to reach the semi-finals. Let's go and exceed expectations.
Dell: Estevao looks amazing - what a talent he is. He was the heartbeat of Palmeiras. I'm looking forward to watching him play for Chelsea. Overall, a good performance by Chelsea. Bring on Fluminense.
Mike: Starting to really come together. Liam Delap did well, Pedro Neto was great and Cole Palmer superb but I still wince every time the ball goes back to Robert Sanchez. Get Mike Maignan in and get rid of Raheem Sterling and the rest, even if we have to give them away!
Nick: Chelsea looked like they were really starting to purr in the first half. The team and the style of play seems to be coming together. Patience is still required. They're still young, but their mentality seems to be right as when they get pegged back they seem to find a way forward. As for Estevao, he is going to terrorise defenders for years to come.
Steve: Starting to see a style of play in this Chelsea team that has been absent for years.
Dani: I am still thinking Enzo Maresca is not the right manager to lead Chelsea.
Palmer admits struggles 'on and off the field'published at 08:17 5 July
08:17 5 July
Nizaar Kinsella BBC Sport football news reporter in Philadelphia
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer has admitted he has struggled "on and off the field" in recent months after his goal in the 2-1 win over Palmeiras.
The 24-year-old is widely regarded as one of Chelsea's best players but his goal in the Club World Cup, which helped his club reach the semi-final, was only his second in 28 games.
Asked why he ran to substitute Tosin Adarabioyo during his goal celebration, Palmer said: "That's my boy. Obviously, I've had a difficult time these past whatever months on and off the pitch, but he's always been there for me and he's helped me a lot.
"So, yeah, I just thought I'd go over to him."
In the semi-finals, Chelsea will face another Brazilian club in Fluminense at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
With striker Liam Delap suspended, debutant Joao Pedro could earn his first start after impressing off the bench in the quarter-final.
Palmer added: "Is it his boyhood club? Nice. I think he did very well tonight. I think he changed the game for us.
"Obviously, he's been on holiday in Brazil and we didn't know what to expect from (in terms of) match sharpness and things, but tonight, I think he changed the game."
'We deserved to win the game without being lucky' - Marescapublished at 08:14 5 July
08:14 5 July
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca spoke to BBC Sport after the 2-1 win over Palmeiras: "I think in the first half we were in control of the game. We didn't concede nothing.
"We scored the goal and we could have scored more. Second half, they started better than us and they scored. The game changed a little bit - the dynamic changed.
"But then in the last 20-25 minutes we were in control again. I think we deserved to win the game without being lucky.
"Moises [Caicedo] was suspended, Romeo [Lavia], unfortunately, had a small muscle problem and Reece James felt something during the warm-up. We think that it's tightness, so we preferred not to take any risks with him.
"We decided to start with Andrey [Santos]. We know each other much, much better compared to one year ago. And with a different structure, a different way to play, the players are getting better and better."
On semi-final opponents Fluminense: "Until today, I was focused on Palmeiras. From tomorrow, I will start to be focused on Fluminense. I watched some games that they have played and you can see that they are very well organised. They have some very good players. The manager is doing a fantastic job.
"And again, it will be the same final. The energy from the Brazilian teams in this competition has been high."
James has been at the Club World Cup in the US and is in line to return there with England for next summer's World Cup.
"It's difficult pitches, a difficult climate," James said before Chelsea take on Palmeiras in the quarter-final (kick-off 02:00 BST on Saturday).
"The ball goes 100 feet in the air and it bounces one metre up. It's not what we're used to. I feel you get a lot leggier, quicker, playing on pitches that are not so good. It's not just for us, it's for everyone involved.
"For the fans and the people watching, it would be better quality if the pitches were more acclimatised for us."
He added: "It's obviously difficult, playing in the conditions, the climate, on pitches that are not as good as pitches in Europe. No-one is used to this heat. We travel so often - everywhere is two hours minimum on a plane. It's quite unusual to us. But I'm happy to be coping pretty well so far."
When asked, Fifa responded: "Fifa can confirm the playability characteristics of pitches used at the Club World Cup remain within the optimal range set by international testing standards.
"Fifa continues to monitor key performance indicators, such as surface hardness, traction and ball roll. While acknowledging that grass type and climate differ in different parts of the world, adjustments are made in real time based on weather conditions, pitch usage, and match schedules to ensure high-quality playing surfaces and prioritise player safety across all venues.
"Fifa always values direct feedback from players and coaches. In some cases, this has led to adaptive measures - such as pitch irrigation during cooling breaks - being introduced for the first time under Fifa protocol to support optimal ball movement in warmer conditions."
Multiple sources have said pitches at next summer's World Cup should be better, with more time given for them to "bed-in" at stadiums after artificial American football surfaces are converted to grass pitches.
Neto a doubt after Jota deathpublished at 08:15 4 July
08:15 4 July
Nizaar Kinsella BBC Sport football news reporter at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Pedro Neto was given compassionate leave as Chelsea did a minute's silence for Jota in training on Thursday night
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says it's "completely" Pedro Neto's decision whether he wants to play in the Club World Cup after his international team-mate Diogo Jota died in a car crash on Thursday.
Neto, 25, lined up with Jota for his former club Wolves and country Portugal and was absent from the final training session in Miami ahead of an upcoming quarter-final against Palmeiras.
The Blues had given Neto an indefinite period of compassionate leave after news filtered through that Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, both died in a car crash in the Spanish province of Zamora.
When asked for his reaction to Jota's passing and to explain the situation around Neto, Maresca said: "It's a very sad day. I struggle to find words, you feel a little bit helpless in this kind of situation, and the only thing I can say is all my love to his family and it's a big tragedy for them."
He added: "Then, in terms of Pedro, he's very sad, probably more than sad, but we are also close to Pedro to support him in this moment.
"It's completely Pedro's decision (whether he plays). I had a chat this morning with Pedro. We support him. Any decision he will take is the correct one, and we are going to support him in any case. "We will see how he is feeling tomorrow, it doesn't matter if he will be on the pitch or not."
Chelsea's club captain Reece James also paid tribute to Jota, adding: "The whole football world is devastated by the passing of Diogo and his brother. It's obviously a difficult time for everyone involved and his close friends and family. It's such a tragic accident."
BBC Sport has been told the Jota was on his way back to Liverpool for pre-season training, making the trip by car and ferry because he had undergone minor surgery so doctors advised him against flying.
A vigil and wake for Jota and his brother will take place on Friday afternoon before their funeral on Saturday in Porto, Portugal.
Marc Cucurella, a Chelsea defender who is known to have a close relationship with Neto, added: "He and the manager must decide but it's important that Pedro feels good, football is secondary but whatever they decide will be right.
"Right now Pedro can help us as he is a player in form. I told him if he plays then it is his destiny to score."
Maresca added midfielder Romeo Lavia is a doubt due to "muscular problems" and Player of the Season Moises Caicedo is suspended, but new £55m forward Joao Pedro, signed from Brighton on Wednesday, could play some part.
"Joao's situation is a bit strange or different because you know he was on holiday," Maresca added. "But we are very happy with Joao and we will see if we need him tomorrow or we're going to give him some minutes."
Maresca couldn't confirm the signing of winger Jamie Gittens from Dortmund despite an official announcement from the German club.
But he addressed the likely scenario of facing new signing Estevao Willian, who will join in a £29.1m move from Palmeiras after the Club World Cup, adding: "We prepare the game against Palmeiras, not against Estevao. He is a Palmeiras player that is going to play against Chelsea tomorrow.
"We don't care if in the future he will be with us. The only thing we are focused on is to do our best to try to beat Palmeiras and not to beat Estevao."
Chelsea agree deal for Gittens published at 07:31 4 July
07:31 4 July
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea are set to finalise the signing of Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens after the German club confirmed a deal had been agreed.
The 20-year-old England Under-21 player will cost £48.5m plus £3.5m in add-ons.
The clubs, who are both in the United States for the Club World Cup, met in Fort Lauderdale to agree the transfer.
Dortmund say contract details are still to be finalised, but BBC Sport has already reported Gittens agreed a seven-year deal with Chelsea in June.
"The talks with Chelsea were challenging, but ultimately we are pleased that we can most likely realise our financial ambitions and then have planning security," said Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl.
"Jamie is an outstanding player who has given us a great deal of pleasure. He now wants to take the next step in his career at Chelsea, and we wish him all the best and much success."
Gittens, who joined Dortmund from Manchester City in 2020, has scored 17 goals and provided 14 assists in 107 games for the club.
He would not be able to play for the Blues until after the Club World Cup.
UK's youngest senior player Atherton joins Chelseapublished at 22:58 3 July
22:58 3 July
Image source, Inpho
Image caption,
Christopher Atherton played for Glenavon at 13 years and 329 days old
Glenavon's 16-year-old forward Chris Atherton has left Mourneview Park to join Chelsea.
The Northern Ireland Under-17 international made headlines in September 2022 when he became the youngest senior footballer in the United Kingdom at 13 years and 329 days old.
The teenager, who joined the Glenavon academy at four years old, broke the senior record when he came on as a second-half substitute for the Lurgan Blues during a 6-0 win over Dollingstown in the BetMcLean Cup.
Atherton beat the record set by Jordan Allan, who played for Airdrie aged 14 years and 191 days.
He was a first-team regular for Glenavon throughout the 2024-25 season, scoring his first Irish Premiership goal against Loughgall in March, as Paddy McLaughlin's side finished 10th in the table.
Glenavon announced his exit on X, with a post stating: "Chris Atherton - blue still the colour.
"We can confirm that academy product Chris Atherton has left the club to sign for Chelsea We wish him the best in his career & hope he and his family won't be strangers at MVP."
Ugochukwu attracting loan interestpublished at 16:56 3 July
16:56 3 July
Nizaar Kinsella BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu is attracting loan interest early in the transfer window.
The 21-year-old midfielder has received loan enquiries from clubs like Valencia and Hamburg but a Premier League loan remains the most likely option with further clubs monitoring his situation closely.
A season at relegated Southampton - where he made 31 appearances and started nine of the last 10 league games - highlighted Ugochukwu's physical traits make him suitable for the Premier League after his £23.2m move to Chelsea from Rennes in 2023.
However, Chelsea currently have a preference to sell the France Under-21s international, especially if they can attract a substantial bidder.
Chelsea are also cautious about overseas loans as Fifa limit all clubs to just six such loans outside of their domestic divisions through new rules established in 2024.
Therefore, a sale is preferred, a domestic loan is the second preference and an overseas loan will only likely be sanctioned later in the window - if the first two are not achieved.
The likes of Dortmund loanee Carney Chukwuemeka and those not at the Club World Cup - including Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Joao Felix, Renato Veiga, Armando Broja and Djordje Petrovic - are in a similar situation.
A starting XI of only attackers?published at 13:04 3 July
13:04 3 July
Tongue in cheek perhaps, and featuring exiled attackers Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix and Armando Broja who are available for sale, but still an illustration of the attacking depth at Chelsea.
On Wednesday, Joao Pedro became the 18th forward to sign for the Blues in just over three years under their current owners.
It also is not stopping here.
Chelsea have had a £55m bid for English winger Jamie Gittens, 20, accepted by Borussia Dortmund while Estevao Willian will join after the Club World Cup.
First, he will play against Chelsea for Palmeiras on Sunday - a game where Pedro could make his debut.
Image source, Getty Images
