Sporting are willing to sell Viktor Gyokeres for between £50m and £58m next summer, with Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City all interested in the 26-year-old Sweden striker. (Florian Plettenberg), external
Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Josh Lobley
BBC Sport Researcher
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Carabao Cup game against Newcastle (kick-off 19:45 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
On Jadon Sancho, who has been an unused substitute in Chelsea's past two matches: "Jadon has been doing well since he arrived. Players cannot maintain the same level all season because of the huge amount of games. He hasn't played for technical and tactical decisions, it's nothing more than that. He is going to play many games."
When asked if Champions League football is a target for him and the players: "The club have never mentioned top four to me. They always said that the target is to build something important for the next four or five years. It could be a pressure for the players, but I don't think so."
Despite a strong start, Maresca says he "still feels the same" about not being good enough to challenge for the title: "I think we can improve many things. We can attack better, defend better and manage the games better. This is a learning process and we need to learn how to play different kinds of games."
On Wesley Fofana, who was spotted with strapping on his leg in Sunday's victory over Newcastle: "He had a bad moment in the first half, but he's a fighter. I really love him because it's not easy to be out for a year. He looks OK and this is the most important thing."
Follow all of Tuesday's news conferences and the rest of the day's football news
Will Faulks
Fan writer
Image source, Getty ImagesCole Palmer stole the headlines at Stamford Bridge on Sunday with a goal, a much-celebrated long pass and a collection of silky touches and turns to be added to his exceptional catalogue.
But Palmer winning games and doing special things is nothing new. If anything, it is amazing how familiar it has become.
Some news which was perhaps even more significant for Chelsea's long-term plans arrived about an hour before kick-off, when the teams were announced.
Enzo Fernandez was on the bench, as he had been against Liverpool a week before. His late return from international duty in South America before that game gave Enzo Maresca a convenient excuse to leave the Argentine out, and the fact he then played from the start in midweek meant that everything lined up nicely for him to miss out again yesterday.
The team look better with Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia as a midfield pair, with Palmer roaming ahead of them. Enzo has been tried in a number of different positions in a number of different formations since arriving at Chelsea, and none of them really seem to get the best out of him.
The problem he faces now is that there is an established optimal setup for the team - and it does not include him.
Politically, Maresca has timed the dropping of the all-time most expensive Premier League player very well, quietly demoting him to the B team without anyone really noticing. The coach will also insist that it is just a situational thing, with Enzo ready to come back into the team when the opposition suits it.
But the plain truth is that if Chelsea were playing the Champions League final tomorrow, Enzo would not be starting that game, and that is a very significant development.
Find more from Will Faulks at Chelsea News, external
There was late drama...
Image source, Getty ImagesAnd late drama...
Image source, Getty ImagesAnd late drama...
Image source, Getty ImagesSometimes you just can't escape it.
Image source, Getty ImagesThere were returns to goalscoring ways...
Image source, Getty ImagesAnd goalscoring partnerships...
Image source, Getty ImagesWhile sometimes the spoils just have to be shared...
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesAnd after a busy day at work, sometimes you just need a lie down.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Chelsea and Newcastle United.
Here are some of your comments:
Chelsea fans
Hector: This is the sort of game Chelsea would have lost last season. I think that alone is a huge step in the right direction. Not so admirable though is our shaky and porous defence, with an error prone Sanchez who kicked the ball straight out of play five times in a row whilst trying to pass to his team-mates. Djordje Petrovic to return in January? Cole Palmer was man of the match, again!
Nick: A strong, competent and professional performance from the team, with Cole Palmer once again putting in a stunning performance.
JB: Our forward play is looking better and the players look like they know the system. However, we still look shaky defending. Lavia played well, keeping Fernandez on the bench, and we lost his power when he was taken off. Fernandez is not the answer for us. My biggest concern is Sanchez though. We got away with it but against very good teams we will lose.
Tom: I'm not happy with Sanchez in goal at all. Every time he got the ball, he either booted it out of play or it never reached a player in our colour. He looks nervous and that nervousness progresses through the team. In the second half, our wingers stopped attacking, but Neto and Madueke were so positive earlier on!
Newcastle fans
Chris: Nick Pope needs to dive rather than spreading himself all the time. Someone of his size should be catching every cross, rather than punching it. One point was deserved from this game as we were just too sloppy with our passes. We need more work from our forwards because we are not pressing enough.
Bluey: We played well enough for at least a point. The team are arguing amongst themselves and the harmony of old is lost. There is a bit of a concern now, as we drop down the table. Mr Howe needs to sort it out otherwise he will feel the heat.
Paul: It looks like this team is losing confidence and needs a rebuild job. We have to get rid of Almiron, Murphy and Wilson. Isak and Barnes are on notice. The tactics also have to be questioned because we cannot string more than two passes together. When did we last score from a corner? What are these coaches getting paid for? Everything requires a rethink.
Richard: The fall in Trippier's form and influence has been disastrous, combined with Botman's injury. As is so often with this club, a lack of cohesion at the top infects the players on the pitch. Everything I have been talking about since we gave Liverpool a win at home last season has come true. I take no pleasure in being right! Eddie's days are sadly numbered.
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa are level on 18 points with Arsenal in the Premier League, while Chelsea are just one point behind in fifth, so could it be a five-team title race this season?
"It is about consistency and not getting carried away nine games into a season," said former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "It is very easy to get sucked into early season performances.
"Bluntly, I don't think either of them can (challenge)."
Ex-midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker added: "It is hard to disagree with Paul [Robinson] but of the two Aston Villa would be more equipped to do so under Unai Emery."
Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds
England and Chelsea attacking midfielder Cole Palmer, 22, remains committed to the Blues despite being linked with a move away, including a return to Manchester City. (Football Insider), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column
Highlights and analysis from Sunday's Four Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.
If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.
And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.
Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:
Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesCole Palmer is proving himself as an incredible goal scorer, but the pass he made to help set up the opener for Chelsea against Newcastle was something special.
Receiving the ball deep inside his own half, he turned, spotted the run of Pedro Neto and sent him away with a precise ball that found its target from over 60 yards. Neto was then able to square for Nicolas Jackson to score.
Before the game, Palmer had been praised by Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola for his awareness during games, a point that was underlined by that moment of brilliance from the Chelsea forward.
But aside from the goals and the brilliant passes, perhaps what is also so likeable about Palmer is his sheer love of playing football.
"I always try to enjoy my football game by game," Palmer told Sky Sports after Sunday's game. "I try to not put pressure on myself."
Both he and Chelsea appear to be benefitting in full from that attitude to the game.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day following the win: "I'm very pleased with the points, but especially the performance. I think it was a complete performance on the ball and off the ball. For some moments, we were unbelievable on and off."
On what pleased him the most: "Overall, I was very happy with everything but especially the way we worked off the ball and pressed together. We fought together."
On Chelsea's squad depth: "Every game I feel bad. I feel shame because I have to leave players out, but it is the only way to try to compete. No matter how many changes we do, it is important that the style is there and the identity is there."
On Reece James' importance: "He is very important. He is our captain and a fantastic player."
On how Chelsea are doing in the table: "I said many times that the club never mentioned about top four. They just mentioned to try to build something important. We will see."
Image source, Getty ImagesIn Cole Palmer (7 goals) and Nicolas Jackson (6 goals), this is the first time that Chelsea have ever had two players score six or more goals across their opening nine games of a Premier League season.
Cole Palmer has now scored seven winning goals at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, the most such strikes by a player at home in the competition since the beginning of last season.
On his 44th appearance, Nicolas Jackson became the fifth quickest player to score 20 Premier League goals for Chelsea - behind Diego Costa (26 apps), Cole Palmer (27 apps), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (33 apps) and Mark Stein (37 apps).
Image source, Getty ImagesChelsea striker Cole Palmer has been speaking to Sky Sports following the win: "I try and go out there and play my game - that is what I do."
On people saying he is in unstoppable form: "I wouldn't go that far. I always try to enjoy my football, game by game. I try to not put pressure on myself.
"Many people on the outside try to put pressure on me to replicate what I did last season, in terms of numbers. It is my second season playing football and I'm still very young."
On Chelsea's current form and fighting for top four: "We just try to play our own game and block the noise out from the outside. We don't mind proving people wrong.
"We are all young and we have a top coach, but there are still improvements that can be made."
On being compared to Gianfranco Zola: "I know he is an icon on FIFA, so he must have been good. To be honest, I didn't really watch him play. Everyone says that he was a great player, so thank you."
Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?
Have your say on Chelsea's performance, external
What did you make of Newcastle's display?, external
Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies
Four matches make up Sunday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.
Kick-offs 14:00 GMT unless stated
Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.
For week nine he takes on rapper Nemzzz, who supports Manchester United.
Sutton's prediction: 2-1
Newcastle have scored only eight goals in their first eight league games, but I don't think they have changed their style since last season.
It's more that they don't have the strength in depth in the strikers' department. They badly missed Alexander Isak when he was injured, because their other main frontman, Callum Wilson, has not been fit enough to feature this season.
I am backing Newcastle to get a goal this time after two games without scoring, but everything points towards a Chelsea win at Stamford Bridge. With Cole Palmer in the team, they carry far more of a threat than the Magpies.
Nemzzz's prediction: 3-1
Chelsea lost last week and, for once, Palmer did not play his best. Liverpool managed to keep him quiet, but I not sure Newcastle will.
Image source, Getty ImagesChelsea boss Enzo Maresca says it is a positive thing that Cole Palmer is having to "learn the difficulties and challenges" of being heavily marked this season.
"We use it as a weapon that opposition want to heavily mark him," said Maresca. "But it also the next step for him for him getting used to that situation. He has to learn the difficulties and challenges of being marked man to man."
Palmer has six Premier League goals so far this season but was quiet in defeat at Liverpool last Sunday.
"It is about a matter of balance within the team," Maresca added. "We used to play around Cole because he's a more physical player and the Premier League requires you to be defensively strong.
"Now we have other alternatives to add to the attack."
Image source, Getty ImagesChelsea have named the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League this season (23 years, 220 days), with 27-year-old Tosin Adarabioyo the oldest player to appear for them in 2024-25.
They are the only team in Premier League history to get eight games into a season without using anyone over the age of 27.
