Chelsea

Simon Stone and Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport

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BBC Sport understands personal terms have been agreed between Atletico Madrid and Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez.

It is anticipated the Spanish club will raise funds for the move by selling Samu Omorodion to Chelsea.

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Enzo Maresca says a high defensive line is a "habit" he wants to change at Chelsea.

The Blues conceded 12 goals across five pre-season friendlies, including two in 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Asked about the high line, the new boss told reporters: "It's a habit. We are not working on defensive lines so high. It's a habit from last year, or years ago; I don't know. We are trying to drop the defensive line a little bit, usually about four or five metres, just to have some advantage.

"Last year, we already conceded many goals with this problem. Hopefully we can solve it very soon.

"It's a problem we are trying to solve from pre-season, since day one. One of my first meetings with the squad was about the amount of goals we conceded last year with the defensive line very high.

"It's something we are trying to work on. Today, offensively, we are there - the patterns are there. We created chances. The problem is defensively; when I say defensively I don't just mean the defensive line, but in general, all the players."

Maresca says he is hopeful key names such as Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson will be back in action for the opening Premier League fixture against Manchester City on 18 August.

Send us your views on Chelsea's latest friendly, external

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter, in Charlotte

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Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen insists the squad will work on fixing their defensive issues shown during pre-season.

The Blues lost 2-1 to Real Madrid in Charlotte, a defeat which again highlighted issues both playing out from the back and with their high defensive line.

When asked about the poor defending that has seen Chelsea concede 12 goals in five matches, Jorgensen said: "We have to work on a few things. Also me, I think I should be a bit higher when the line is so high, but we will work on that.

"I could also be more high to make a bit less space between me and them [the defenders]. We will get to know each other and we will work on some things.

"We still have two weeks before the Premier League starts."

Maresca previously called Chelsea's defending with a high line "suicide" after the 4-1 defeat to Celtic where they failed to press well.

But the Blues have another friendly against Inter Milan to work on their tactics before facing Manchester City on 18 August.

Jorgensen continued to explain that he is not the number one and must compete with Robert Sanchez despite starting at the Bank of America stadium, adding: "No, no... I have a very good relationship with Robert [Sanchez].

"He welcomed me very well and I think we are doing some good training sessions together."

Send us your thoughts on the latest friendly defeat, external

Chelsea's English defender Alfie Gilchrist, 20, is set to undergo a medical ahead of joining Sheffield United on a season-long loan. (Sky Sports), external

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

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Three first half goals, including one from Noni Madueke, left Chelsea with the third loss of their pre-season campaign.

What did you learn from this game, Chelsea fans?

Let us know your thoughts , external

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

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It's not what Conor Gallagher is, it's what he represents.

In a past era of Chelsea, accepting a £33m offer for him from Atletico Madrid would elicit far less of a reaction than it has now.

Gallagher is a committed, passionate and solid performer. But he is not remarkable. His homegrown status elevates his standing among supporters beyond where he would rank on ability alone. Understandably so.

But this is not a Chelsea that boasts a midfield containing a Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Claude Makelele, N'Golo Kante or Cesc Fabregas. This is a Chelsea that is without a trophy for three years and has seldom felt further from silverware in its modern history.

Since the American consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over the club in May 2022, the list of Cobham-developed players who have departed permanently stands at Billy Gilmour, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall and Mason Mount. The club have reportedly been sounding out potential bids for Gallagher for the past year, desperate to avoid a scenario where his contract expires and he can leave on a free.

Trevoh Chalobah looks certain to follow after being left out of Chelsea's squad for the pre-season tour of the United States.

Listing even a selection of the arrivals in this same period would obliterate my word count. Most are international youngsters with high potential but precious little senior experience, many of the moves only made possible by the the pure profit from selling homegrown players.

The league finishes have been 12th and sixth. Ticket prices have risen, the public-facing vision remains non-existent and fan favourites are being hastily ushered out of the backdoor.

When teams are going through challenging periods on the pitch, fans cling to the connection they feel to academy products. Last season, Gallagher's exuberance was a shining light - especially during the difficult early months. In May, fans unveiled a banner of his face with the words 'Chelsea since birth' emblazoned above it ahead of a match against Tottenham.

This was making a point to the owners in a period where Gallagher was heavily linked to the Blues' bitter London rivals.

So, the de-identification of Chelsea continues and the gulf between ownership and fanbase increases.

There is only one thing that eases this tension and that is results on the pitch. Lets hope, for their sake, it is a positive start to the season.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

If Conor Gallagher should leave Chelsea this summer for Atletico Madrid then he will be the eighth academy player to be sold in the Clearlake era.

Admittedly, not all eight have had a great impact at the Blues, but the loud noises coming from fans shows that Gallagher's departure is different.

Homegrown talent has always given supporters real excitement. They represent pride and passion and make fans feel like a player is one of them out on the pitch. If successful or well-liked, they can easily become club and local heroes.

But none of that matters when football is a business. As Pat Nevin wrote in his column below, "this is little more than pure economics".

Clubs can demand a higher premium to part with their academy products as they pocket pure profit, so you can see why it happens so often.

Chelsea have had a profitable academy for some time and in the years from 2014 to 2023 they made £295.5m from 28 player sales. That is the highest of any club in England.

Defender Fikayo Tomori was sold to AC Milan in 2021 when he was barely featuring for the Blues and they made £25m from that move alone. The recent sales of Ian Maatsen and Omari Hutchinson also highlight Chelsea's use of the loan market to boost a player's value before selling.

And should Gallagher sign for Atletico for £33m, he will be the fourth-most profitable academy departure in the last 10 years, with only Mason Mount, Maatsen and Tammy Abraham having a higher price tag.

It is these departures that are necessary when you have spent big in recent years.

Chelsea have spent over £1bn on players in the Todd Boehly era and with that has come the pinch of profit and sustainability regulations (PSR). Rules state that a club is not allowed to make a loss of more than £105m over a three-year period or they are to face charges.

Since the the 2022 takeover Chelsea have made over £180.5m from selling academy players alone, which has helped to balance the books and keep them within regulations.

But the change in academy outgoings is that players who left pre-Clearlake were not regular starters - or, like the well-liked Gallagher - captains. This one has seemingly hit a nerve.

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Leaving a club you love, and where the fans have reciprocated those feelings is tough. I have been in that situation with Chelsea, so I can appreciate what Conor Gallagher may be going through at the moment. He'll be a loss to the Premier League, no doubt. Summer transfers and the jeopardy of how things can pan out is the main thrust of my feature today.

The painful Gallagher saga with Chelsea may be drawing to a close as Atletico Madrid agree terms. The player who undoubtedly loves the club and is loved by the fans has been made to feel as popular as Pep Guardiola at a Real Madrid fans convention.

The 'legacy' fans are particularly distraught, but they also understand this is little more than pure economics. He is a home-grown talent, 'straight outta Cobham', as it were and that means he represents pure profit when he is sold on.

The club needs the Gallagher income to boost the coffers having spent more than a billion pounds, only to discover they have the looming Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules to consider. Chelsea have already managed to bring in nearly £90million on the sales of Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson and Lewis Hall this summer, great business that will scarcely weaken the first team.

They have made an amazing £180m profit in youth sales in the Clearlake era alone, but clearly more is wanted/needed. The England star, the club's most committed performer last season, a sometime captain and a true fans favourite is the next one to be nudged out.

I know the feeling well, almost exactly the same thing happened to me all those decades ago when I left Chelsea. I wanted to stay but the club wanted and maybe even needed the money. I didn't bad mouth the club I loved and didn't want to leave, but part of the bargain was that I expected to get the same level of respect and fairness in return from the club. They were classy enough to play their part.

So there was no need to spin it that Conor wasn't wanted because of the new possession style. The club have been keen to cash in on him for a season or more, the fans know this so don't insult their intelligence with that line. I would wish Conor the best whether he ended up in a Spanish villa or Aston Villa. He just needs somewhere his talents and fabulous attitude are valued.

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Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo says former manager Mauricio Pochettino helped him to get back on track last season after losing his confidence.

The 22-year-old described his first season at the club as "tough" because of the pressure of his £115m price tag.

When asked what it was lacking from his early performances, the Ecuadorian said: "Yes, confidence. Yeah. I have the quality.

"I know the player I am. But sometimes if you are not strong in your mind, it is difficult. The beginning was tough for me, because you are at a big club, the price, you always have to win every game.

"It was tough for me because when I was in Brighton, the pressure is less. I felt a lot of pressure because you know the club, the history, the players who were there.

"It was really tough for me at the beginning to be there. But after the last four or five months, I felt more comfortable at the club."

Caicedo praised a performance coach and his former manager Mauricio Pochettino for getting him back on the right tracking, adding: "A lot of people around me helped me - Mauricio and his staff. They were with me when I felt like I was not the same Moises."

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Chelsea had offered Conor Gallagher a two-year deal with an option for an extra year, but it was deemed unfavourable by the midfielder due to both the length of the contract and the inferior squad role offered.

A natural divide had emerged between Gallagher and Chelsea as he was believed to be a poor fit for new manager Enzo Maresca's possession-based style of play and would not be a regular starter under the Italian.

"Nobody is going to be a regular starter because if I say someone is going to be a regular starter, I think it is a lack of respect," added Maresca.

"For them, they need to work day by day very hard and show me and convince me they are to play but nobody knows.

"In this moment, there is something between the club and the player; an agreement to stay or to leave. These kinds of things happen in every club, every summer and in the end the final decision will be good for everyone. Hopefully the final decision will be good for Conor and the club."

Chelsea are in discussions with Atletico Madrid over a deal worth around £35m for 20-year-old Spanish forward Samu Omorodion. (Sky Sports), external

The Blues have agreed a £20.5m deal with Gremio to sign 16-year-old Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Mec. (Globo), external

Leicester City are leading the race to sign 21-year-old Ivory Coast forward David Datro Fofana on loan from Chelsea. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Chelsea are targeting a new striker signing this summer and have explored moves for both Napoli's Victor Osimhen and Atletico Madrid's Samu Omorodion.

Osimhen, 25, is ready to leave the Italian giants this summer but Napoli's initial insistence on receiving the full £113m release clause has prohibited interested parties from making a move.

The Nigeria international's wage demands are also an issue for suitors but it is hoped a complex potential swap deal involving wantaway striker Romelu Lukaku, featuring a incentivised bonuses-driven contract, could push a deal over the line before the end of August.

Antonio Conte is widely believed to be pushing for a reunion with Lukaku to reunite with the player who helped win him Serie A in 2021 at Inter Milan.

Chelsea are also keen on adding Omorodion as they pursue multiple targets simultaneously.

The 20-year-old's future, however, appears tied to multiple other deals as Atletico Madrid try to complete the signing of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher in a separate move first.

They also want to sign Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez, who is valued at more than £70m, but need the funds from selling Omorodion to come close to reaching the asking price.

It remains unclear whether the Blues want to sign both players, with a squad already featuring striking options including Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu. Armando Broja is also on the books but available for sale.

It is more likely the club is moving on multiple fronts with both options deemed complex and uncertain at this early stage.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Chelsea defender Alfie Gilchrist is expected to join Sheffield United on a season-long loan.

The 20-year-old has been given permission to travel to South Yorkshire to complete a move to Bramall Lane.

Manager Chris Wilder was key to the decision amid competition from other Championship clubs.

Gilchrist was not included in Chelsea's squad for the pre-season tour of the United States, instead training in a 'loan group' under Carlo Cudicini and Ed Brand.

The centre-back, who can also play at right back, played 17 times last season in a breakthrough season under former manager Mauricio Pochettino.

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Chelsea have been drawn against either SC Braga or Servette FC in the play-off round for the group stages of the Europa Conference league.

The winner between Braga of the Portugese Primera Liga and Servette of the Swiss Super League will qualify for the Europa League.

The loser of that tie will visit Stamford Bridge on Thursday, 22 August and host Chelsea on a week later on 29 August.

The winner will progress to the group stages of the Conference League.

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Former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti feels the Blues have made "really good signings".

Ancelotti coached Chelsea from 2009 to 2011, winning the domestic double in 2010.

New Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, who is the fourth manager under owner Todd Boehly in just two seasons, will oversee his first season in the Premier League this month.

As of 30 June 2023 - after the first full year under the ownership of Boehly's Clearlake Capital consortium - the cost of the squad was over £1bn, with a large number of young players recruited on long-term deals.

"It's changed a lot. They invested a lot," Ancelotti said.

"They have a good squad, good players, young. They have a young manager. They need to be a little bit patient, the owners, to take experience, to grow. But the signings that they have [made] are really good."

Ancelotti also spoke on Kepa Arrizabalaga, who spent last season on loan at Real Madrid: "Kepa did really well last season. We were really happy to have him here, but I don't know what’s going to happen this season.

"We love him. We love him."

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's friendly game between Chelsea and Manchester City.

Here are some of your comments:

Chelsea fans

Smee: Dreadful defending and poor passing out from the back against a team that was determined to press. Verdict: Not good enough at this stage and does not bode well for the start of the season.

Jeff: Maresca insists it is a learning process, but if we keep giving away soft goals all the time then our learning will continue in the Championship. We have the best left-back in the country but he plays Gusto there out of position?

Steve: We are so poor at the back that James never crossed the halfway line. Passing out from the back is going to destroy us as the players are not good enough to do that. We still need a striker and have done for the last several years.

George: I am sick and tired of this playing out from the back approach. It is always risky as it allows to teams to press you. It makes you predictable, so why not mix it up and use the long ball out of defence occasionally. Switch the attacking options to help retain possession. Sell Fernandez and keep Gallagher.

Man City fans

Steve: Oscar Bobb has had a brilliant pre-season, as well as quite a few young players. Haaland has done what he does best and scored goals This squad has only had just a few first team players available so they have played well. The support in USA shows how far City have come.

Chris: A great result for the final game and considering the players that are missing this is awesome! Overall some excellent performances on tour from the academy youngsters. The future’s looking bright.

Paul: A good pre-season for all the players trying to break through, including Grealish who needs to be consistent and aggressive. I hope McAtee stays and I think Phillips will show his versatility with another loan. Bobb has grown into a starter giving us flexibility and strength on the wing. I am excited for the start of the season.

Big Lee: Jack Grealish will prove why he cost £100m this season thanks to Gareth Southgate!

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Conor Gallagher is now expected to fly and complete his medical and contract signing at Atletico Madrid, which would end his 18-year spell at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea had offered a two-year deal with an option for an extra year, but it was deemed unfavourable by Gallagher due to both the length of the contract and the inferior squad role offered.

A natural divide had emerged between Gallagher and Chelsea as he was believed to be a poor fit for new manager Enzo Maresca's possession-based style of play and would not be a regular starter under the Italian.