Chelsea

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Chelsea FC

The Chelsea Foundation's new chief executive Laura Cordingley revealed the club's new strategy around its charitable arm.

Cordingley was speaking at the launch of the new Blue Creator Fund exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, which saw five winning artists exhibiting at an event celebrating the 120th anniversary since the club's founding.

But the event also offered a chance to explore changes to the Chelsea Foundation after Roman Abramovich sold the club to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in 2022.

Cordingley, who joined from cricket charity Chance to Shine in September, said the club want to be "more impactful and hyper focused on communities in the south west of London and Surrey, where we have a natural footprint."

She added: "We are identifying what are the greatest challenges for those communities.

"Hammersmith and Fulham has the highest suicide rate in in London. And in Kensington, Chelsea, you can take a bus from the south to the north and life expectancy actually decreases by 19 years, just in one borough."

Cordingley said the foundation will focus on "supporting communities to improve tolerance, inclusion and cohesion" and also on the futures of young people "around their employment and education".

She added the foundation receives a donation of £2m a year from the ownership.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

"He is a once-in-a-generation kind of talent."

There are big expectations on 17-year-old Geovany Quenda.

Having burst on to the football scene over the past 12 months with Sporting and on the international youth stage, a move away from Portugal was always likely to be on the cards.

That move had expected to be a reunion with his former boss Ruben Amorim at Manchester United. However, the recruitment team at Stamford Bridge swooped in first.

But, excited Blues fans will have to wait to see the teenage talent in a Chelsea kit with Quenda to stay with Sporting until the summer of 2026.

"He had a 100m euro release clause but Chelsea and Manchester United knew that with 50m, 55m, 60m euros that Sporting would agree to sell because he is a very young player. He has a lot of potential," Portuguese football journalist and pundit Mariana Fernandes told BBC Sport.

"With Sporting having almost another season and a half with the player, this did the trick for Chelsea to seize the opportunity.

"He has a good story, is very young and he exploded with this in-fashion coach in Amorim. He is going to a team that explores youth and young players and I think that is what Chelsea saw, a chance to seize an opportunity to sign a player who in two seasons' time would be double the price and much harder to sign."

Quenda recorded 20 goal contributions in 33 appearances for Sporting's under-23s last season and has 10 goals involvements in 44 games this campaign.

He is impressing with his pace, strength and technical ability already, but is he ready to step up to Premier League level?

"He is a generational talent," Fernandes says.

"Here in Portugal, there is a common theme with Sporting fans, Benfica fans, Porto fans, all the football fans, that we are not going to get a lot of Geovany Quendas every year. He is a once-in-a-generation kind of talent.

"I think the mentality of Quenda is already there. He is already a principal main team player even though he is only 17 years old.

"He will need to adapt to playing in a bigger league, a bigger club, with bigger challenges and bigger opponents - but the quality is there, the mentality is there, he just needs to put in the work. I think he is ready."

With the Premier League top two fairly set in stone and the relegation places all but decided, we asked former England midfielder Fara Williams to pick her final table from third down to 10th.

Nottingham Forest will hang on to third based on what they have built this season in terms of being defensively hard to break down and playing in transitions very well. They are finding ways to win games by playing to their strengths.

I do not think Chelsea are good enough to secure fourth. I have put Manchester City there because they have enough firepower and always seem to finish Premier League seasons really well. They have not been in good form but they have that know-how and still a bit of a fear factor against some of the teams they play.

I have Chelsea in fifth because if Cole Palmer can refind his form they will have a good run of games. Newcastle in sixth - where they currently sit - as I think they will continue on the same trajectory with their run of fixtures.

The rest is really difficult. I have put Bournemouth seventh as their pressing and high-intensity play will see them pick up form again and rise a few places.

I have Aston Villa eighth as their focus will be on the Champions League, then Brighton ninth and Fulham 10th as I do not think their form will improve significantly. They are still impressive finishes.

Having said this, it has never been so close in this area of the table from what I can remember. These teams are likely to finish within one win of each other so much can change on one result.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are all preparing summer moves for Ajax and Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato, 19, but will face competition from Real Madrid. (Caught Offside), external

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Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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In part two of our special Q&A with BBC Sport football news reporter Nizaar Kinsella, he looks at the job Enzo Maresca is doing, potential stadium redevelopment and possible transfers at both ends of the pitch.

Daniel asked: Chelsea's form earlier this season was good, but everything at the moment seems very risk averse, with low xG. I know Enzo Maresca relies heavily on getting his wingers in one-v-one situations, but do you know what he is actually trying to achieve, in an attacking sense?

Nizaar: Great question. The point about wingers is interesting because I don't think Jadon Sancho, Pedro Neto or Christopher Nkunku are doing what Maresca's wingers did at Leicester City. Noni Madueke is looking a more important player than ever and there has been a lack of movement in behind since he and Nicolas Jackson got injured.

So I think he is having to reinvent his attacking system - and it has not worked while Madueke and Jackson have been injured. He can revert to his old way of attacking after the international break, but you have to question whether he can adapt to problems amid this bad run - especially when injuries have taken hold.

Of course, the display at Arsenal saw Chelsea register their worst expected goals under Maresca's tenure, but I expect an improvement as injured players return.

• Not a Blues fan? Find and follow your team here

Anthony asked: Did Maresca saying Chelsea are not in the title race affect the mentality of the players, in the sense that they lost the hunger to perform?

Nizaar: Maresca is nothing if not consistent in his news conference messaging. I must admit, I thought Chelsea were in the title race then.

At the time, the messaging from the players was similar, plus the ownership's aim has been qualifying for the Champions League rather than challenging for the Premier League title in the Italian's first season.

It may all be 'not very Chelsea', but I actually thought it was a strategy to take the pressure off a young group of players. I don't think those comments were a misstep, but that is not to say there is not work to do on building a winning mentality, which will have to be a whole club effort.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Here are some more of your Chelsea questions for BBC Sport football news reporter Nizaar Kinsella.

Michael asked: What is happening about the new stadium that was promised by the new owners?

Nizaar: It's fair to say the new stadium development has barely made any progress under this ownership. The reasons are:

• It is incredibly complicated and expensive;

• There is a sense Chelsea should wait and see what happens with a potential site at Earl's Court;

• There has been a change in leadership involved in the stadium.

Chelsea recently held an in-person consultation with a group of fans about the stadium where few updates could be offered.

All options are being considered. They have spoken to architect firms but must labour over the biggest decision of all: whether to stay at Stamford Bridge or move to a new location.

There is no perfect answer and Chelsea have been overtaken by Manchester United because of one simple fact: there is no place more difficult to build a stadium than in London, especially in a very expensive part of west London.

Chris asked: Does the manager have any plans to purchase a world-class striker and goalkeeper in the summer and stop looking at his midfield options?

Nizaar: I expect Chelsea will look at signing a striker, having been open to doing a deal in that position last summer. Of course, they negotiated for Napoli's Victor Osimhen, who is now on loan at Galatasaray, on deadline day.

As for a goalkeeper, so far the word is that Chelsea will not be signing one in the summer and will pick two of Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen and Djordje Petrovic to continue working with.

Also, do not forget Mike Penders is also highly rated. He is joining from Genk for £18m, but I suspect he will go on loan to build experience.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sport football news reporter Nizaar Kinsella has been answering your questions. In this first of a two-part Q&A, he looks at the importance of Champions League football to the club's accounts and the Stamford Bridge recruitment policy.

David asked: How long can Chelsea afford not to be in the Champions League?

Nizaar: Well, the Club World Cup is a bit of a 'get out of jail free card' for Chelsea this summer. They are expected to make about £50m, although revenue distribution for the new summer competition is not yet fully established.

However, the big issue with Chelsea and not getting Champions League is how it impacts the search for a front-of-shirt sponsor. The Blues had a temporary deal with Infinite Athlete and opted against finding a partner despite negotiations with multiple potential sponsors. They are being cautious as they look for a long-term partner at a high rate, but they need Champions League football to improve their negotiating position.

In terms of PSR, Chelsea have clearly used the sales of academy players to fund their lavish spending - the sales of homegrown players count as pure profit on the club accounts - but they have fewer and fewer assets to keep using this strategy with Levi Colwill, Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah the last three such players of substantial value.

• Not a Chelsea fan? Find and follow your team's page here

Bryn asked: With the confirmed summer signings what are the club plans for further recruitments and what players are no longer in the club plans? If the club doesn't qualify for the Champions League will we be looking at another new manager for next season?

Nizaar: Chelsea have confirmed a lot of summer signings already. Do not forget that Estevao Willian, Kendry Paez, Mike Penders and Dario Essugo are all joining the club in the summer, with Geovany Quenda following in 2026.

Chalobah is likely to be sold in the summer and Mathis Amougou will probably join Strasbourg. I suspect Omari Kellyman and Aaron Anselmino will go out on loan. You have to wonder whether Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will be sold having been linked with moves away in January. There is also a "substantial" penalty clause in Jadon Sancho's loan deal from Manchester United, according to sources at both clubs. But the chance of it being activated is being played down at the moment.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Here are some more of your questions put to BBC Sport football news reporter Nizaar Kinsella.

Andy asked: What will happen to all the players currently on loan? When they come back to Chelsea in the summer, who is destined to leave permanently and who is likely to stay in the main squad?

Nizaar: There is a growing feeling that midfielder Andrey Santos will at least get a look in during the Club World Cup. The one-time Brazil international has been sensational at partner club Strasbourg in their surprise push to qualify for Europe. Beyond that, there are more players who will be pushed out for sale than brought into the fold.

I expect Chelsea to try to sell Kepa Arrizabalaga, Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Raheem Sterling, Armando Broja and Alex Matos. Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has a chance of returning from Strasbourg but could also be sold at the right price as interest mounts. Renato Veiga's situation is similar to Petrovic's while on loan at Juventus.

There is also Joao Felix, who is unlikely to join AC Milan permanently but may struggle to find a buyer. He could be reintegrated on that basis.

Ahmed asked: I am pleased we have owners keen to invest in the squad. But what is the value in only buying youth, especially if cost saving is clearly not a driver?

Nizaar: Few fans would complain if their owners spent over £1.5bn in five transfer windows on new players, albeit with substantial player sales funding that business. Chelsea have produced world record transfer windows, in terms of spend and number of transactions as the club is transformed.

What is the value? Well, Chelsea believe young players signed on low wages are a low risk. They are likely to increase in value, even if they don't play a lot - or you can find ones like Cole Palmer, who explode and become superstars.

In essence, that is the strategy. It is designed to avoid failed deals like Kepa and Romelu Lukaku - though, of course, there are plenty of potential weaknesses in it too.

Come back to this page later on Thursday for part two, which looks at the job Enzo Maresca is doing, potential stadium redevelopment and possible incomings at both ends of the pitch.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Chelsea signing Sporting midfielders Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo for a combined fee of around £62.4m.

Here are some of your thoughts:

Garry: Will either of them play in goal or as a striker then? I thought not. This is just more pointless stockpiling of young talent, with a view to cash in on potential demand further down the line. We are slowly becoming irrelevant as a club. I can't even be bothered to get annoyed with it all anymore.

Ashlie: They will probably never make a first team appearance, spend the whole of their contracts out on loan and then be sold to another club where they will blossom.

• Not a Chelsea fan? Find your club page here

Tom: Why do we keep signing midfielders when we are crying out for a striker? Where are all of these midfielders going to play?

Clive: Off the back of rumours that we are going to be selling Enzo Fernandez, we have signed two more midfielders. That is OK, but where is the experienced and proven striker who is able to back up Nicolas Jackson and help his decision-making and scoring skills?

Naomi: What a waste on more midfielders that we don't need! Please just focus on getting a top striker.

Nicholas: It's building a portfolio of players not building a team. I've become numb to the players coming into the club.

Tristan: These latest deals have summed up the Boehly ownership era, showing a lack of direction. When you think we are done spending too much money on young players, Boehly comes up trumps and spends insane amounts on players. Our ownership and management are equally poor - dramatic change is needed now.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Former Chelsea captain John Terry says he agrees with new England manager Thomas Tuchel that Reece James is a defender.

James is "seen as a midfielder" by manager Enzo Maresca and played the majority of his matches at Chelsea in the middle of the pitch this season.

However, Tuchel said "I still feel he is a player for the full-back and wing-back positions" this week after naming James in his first England squad.

When asked about James' position, Terry, who was also a homegrown captain at Stamford Bridge, said: "I agree with that [Tuchel's assessment]. I see him as a defender.

"I don't like it, to be honest, people drifting in [to midfielder] I think it is more confusing.

"Midfielders are very comfortable with their back to goal. When defenders step into those roles it is probably the opposite, we are probably not as comfortable receiving the ball with our back to goal.

"A very different role and first and foremost, talking about the 2005-06 season, we conceded 15 goals and top teams are built around good foundations and I think you need that.

"To be able to do that, you need a back four or a solid back three in place."

• Not a Chelsea fan? Find your club page here

Terry continued to explain that James is a "world class defender" but needs to use this season to play "10 to 20 matches" and come back fully fit after pre-season to show his best form.

He also revealed, while working on a casual basis as an academy coach, that he has spoken to James about his leadership of Chelsea - as a legendary former captain of the club.

He added: "Reece leads the team different to the way I did which is fine. There is different ways to be a captain and a leader.

"I said this to him, Reece has to be 100 percent Reece James. He doesn't need to be 10 percent John Terry.

"He has to be really authentic because he is the one speaking in front of the boys as well and - if not - people will see through.

"He is doing a good job, but I think first and foremost when you are at a captain of a football club you need to be consistent in your performances and to do that you have to play week in and week out."

Terry spoke as global broadcaster DAZN launched their coverage of this summer's FIFA Club World Cup.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

When the news emerged last week that Chelsea had agreed a deal in principle to sign Sporting winger Geovany Quenda, eyebrows were raised.

A fee of up to £44m has now been agreed for a 17-year-old player in a position that the Blues already seem well-stocked in?

Sometimes exceptions need to be made when the talent is as promising as Quenda's.

But just who is the teenage sensation?

"He is a very creative player. He is a very young player and has a lot of potential to achieve," Portuguese football journalist and pundit Mariana Fernandes told BBC Sport.

"A right-winger with a left foot - so he has a left foot but also likes to go through opponents with his right foot, which becomes very confusing for defenders to try and stop him.

"He is really quick, really smart and, honestly, I don't know how he is still only 17-years-old because he seems always so put together and mature in the way he transforms the game."

Quenda was born in the African nation of Guinea-Bissau but moved to Portugal as a child and joined a small club on the outskirts of Lisbon. He caught the eye of Benfica scouts and spent two years in their academy before moving closer to home and joining Sporting.

In 2023 he signed his first professional contract and, while with the reserve team, caught the eye of ex-Sporting manager Ruben Amorim, who gave him his senior debut in the Portuguese Super Cup at the beginning of this campaign.

At just 17 years and 95 days, the Portugal Under-21 international became the club's youngest ever goalscorer with his strike in a 4-3 defeat to Porto.

While he was deployed on the wing to help both attack and defence under now Manchester United boss Amorim, he has moved into a more offensive role in a front three under Sporting's new head coach.

"He is a very complete player, a very put together player," Fernandes added. "He has the mentality that he always has to go back and help the team to defend. He doesn't stay up front.

"I think the right word to describe Quenda is he is a very brave player.

"He never turns his face away from the challenge, whether that is offensively in the way that he always attacks the opposition team, or whether defensively in the way he always helps his own team defend.

"His main strength is one on one challenges. He is really strong on the duels with the ball at his feet. It is very rare for a defender here in Portugal to stop Quenda in a duel or one on one challenge."

Chelsea have completed the double signing of Sporting midfielders Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo for a combined fee of around £62.4m, the Portuguese club have said.

Winger Quenda, 17, will join Chelsea for a fee of up to £44m according to an announcement on the Sporting website, external, but will remain in Lisbon until the end of the 2025-26 season.

The teenager has broken into Sporting's first team this season and made his Champions League debut in September.

Essugo, a 20-year-old defensive midfielder, will move to Stamford Bridge in the summer following a loan spell at Las Palmas. Sporting announced his transfer fee as £18.4m.

What do you think about the deals? Tell us here

Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, 23, is a summer transfer target for Serie A side AC Milan. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

The Blues could sell up to 11 players this summer - including forward Raheem Sterling and defender Ben Chilwell - to help fund a move for a new striker. (Mail+ - subscription required), external

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It's international break. It's quiet. There's not much to talk about.

And yet, things are always happening at Chelsea and no doubt you will have plenty on your mind.

So we are lining up our Blues reporter Nizaar Kinsella to tackle your questions.

It could be tactics, recruitment, summer plans, loanees, boardroom or something else...

Fire them over and he will answer a selection later in the week.

Submit your questions here

Chelsea are considering paying a penalty fee to avoid a £25m obligation to buy Jadon Sancho this summer following the 24-year-old England winger's loan move from Manchester United. (the i paper - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea have sent an email outlining their battle against ticket touts, including action against one who had "340 memberships".

The club have sent an email to assure supporters that they take touting "seriously" and to "re-emphasise the robust action we are taking every day as a club to tackle this and stop those participating in this illegal activity".

The scale of the problem has also been communicated to supporters, with one tout said to be using "340 membership accounts linked to the same ticket" for January's match against West Ham.

More than 1,000 people are said to have been stopped entering the stadium, 1,500 membership accounts cancelled and four arrests made last season, the highest of any Premier League club, according to the email.

The email, seen by BBC Sport, also explains the club have:

• "An investigative team who track ticket purchasing and membership accounts, including a team of uniformed and plain clothes staff to investigate ticket misuse, identify and apprehend touts."

• "In-person seat checks at home matches."

• "Set up a hotline where we use information to investigate potential touts."

• "Support the police in obtaining Football Banning Orders for convicted touts."

The issue of touting is also having a major impact on the increasingly tepid atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, which has been highlighted by both the previous manager Mauricio Pochettino and current boss Enzo Maresca.

A small singing section of 120 season ticket holders in the Shed End has also been trialled at the recent home game against FC Copenhagen in the Conference League.

It will be expanded to 150 season ticket holders when Legia Warsaw visit in the quarter-final next month.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea's Omari Kellyman will miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

The 19-year-old joined from Aston Villa for £17m in the summer but has yet to feature for the first team under Enzo Maresca after suffering a serious hamstring injury in September.

Having played just twice for the under-21s at the beginning of the campaign, he returned to action for 35 minutes in their most recent match against Norwich City in Premier League 2.

However, Kellyman has since posted on his Instagram page, external that he will not being playing again this season.

"Beyond gutted to say that this season has come to an early end for me due to a reinjury of my hamstring, despite only just returning after having hamstring issues for a massive part of this season," said the midfielder.

"24-25 has been a tough season for me mentally and physically due to injury but it's important now that I take time to get this right and come out the other side stronger and better ready for what next season brings."

Image source, Getty Images

Racial abuse directed towards Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana on social media has been condemned by his club and anti-discrimination body Kick It Out, with calls for more to be done to stop it.

On Monday, the 24-year-old shared to his Instagram story screenshots of six racist messages sent to him following the Blues' 1-0 defeat by Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

"2025, stupidity and cruelty can no longer hide. It's not just football; it's not just a 'game' when some believe that their skin colour makes them superior to others," he posted on Instagram later on Monday.

"It's time for things to change, for platforms to take action, and everyone to take responsibility."

Chelsea condemned the abuse with a statement that read: "Chelsea Football Club is appalled and disgusted by the recent rise in online racial abuse towards our players.

"The abuse Wes Fofana has been subjected to following Sunday's fixture is abhorrent and will not be tolerated.

"Wes and all our players have our full support. We will work with the relevant authorities in identifying the perpetrators and take the strongest possible action."

On Tuesday, Kick It Out released a statement that said: "Players are tired and frustrated by a lack of action from social media companies, who still allow discrimination to fester.

"We stand in solidarity with Wes and all players who receive this vile abuse and echo his call for change.

"We are working with the regulator - Ofcom - to highlight this issue, and to try and make sure its new regulations help."

Will Faulks
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

The rolling chaos at Chelsea means that it is easy for lesser storylines to be buried among the big characters and big numbers that dominate the headlines about the club.

But it's worth taking a closer look at one of the mini-tragedies of this season in closer detail after a bitterly disappointing performance and result against Arsenal on Sunday.

Christopher Nkunku looks like he will leave the club this summer. He is certainly playing like someone who knows they're on the way out, and is not particularly interested in leaving a positive impression behind.

One can't even really say he had a "rise and fall". The excitement around his arrival built to a crescendo in the year before he finally debuted, but his injury in the final game of pre-season in August 2023 means that, in hindsight, his story at Chelsea was over before it ever began.

It took Nkunku most of last season to recover, and by the time he was fit it was a struggle to get into the team that Mauricio Pochettino had constructed. Cole Palmer had emerged to take the spot meant for him in the team, and established himself not just as first choice in that position, but as one of the headline stars of the whole Premier League.

A new manager in the summer gave Nkunku a fresh chance, but Enzo Maresca has been even less interested in using the Frenchman in the first team than Pochettino was. The former Leipzig man has been deployed almost exclusively to take on minnows in the Conference League, and seems to have taken that designation personally.

His recent run in the first team has only come because of a spate of injuries, and neither his input nor his output in those games have done anything to convince anyone that he should have been given more chances.

Find more from Will Faulks at Chelsea News, external

AC Milan will not look to keep 25-year-old attacker Joao Felix, who is currently on loan from Chelsea, in the summer. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Liverpool are ahead of Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham in the race to sign 24-year-old Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. (Football Insider), external

Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City have all been watching River Plate's 17-year-old Argentine winger Franco Mastantuono, who has a release clause of about £35m. (Teamtalk), external

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