Chelsea returned to training at Cobham on 5 July and have booked a camp in Ireland – and they are in talks to play against local teams.
To back up the numbers
The Blues will bring back scores of tenants and academy players to train under Thomas Tuchel to bolster the numbers, while other stars will return on July 6 in a staggered approach. Chelsea have more players than any other Premier League club for Euro 2020, with further high-profile preseason games ahead against Tottenham and Arsenal in August.
Who had a chance?
Ruben Loftus-Check is among the players who will return to Cobham to initially train under Thomas Tuchel following his loan at Fulham. Other players from the loan group like Marc Guehi, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Armando Broja also return to sessions and see where their future lies under the coach.
The future of Tiemoue Bakayoko in Chelsea is in question as interest from the big clubs continues. AC Milan singled him out as a serious target, as did Nice’s French outfit. Former Swansea City tenant loanee Guehi’s future is in doubt with just a year left on his current contract, but the Blues have some security through the option to renew his deal for another year.
Broja is likely to renew his deal at Stamford Bridge after a great season on loan at Vitesse. Despite Billy Gilmour’s possible move to Norwich, Conor Gallagher and Ethan Ampadu could also look at the moves given their lack of confidence in the significant playing time. Several stars from the academy will also have a chance to earn a spot, like Dujon Sterling, who impressed Thomas Tuchel with his attitude after returning from injury.
A little about transfers
Chelsea’s attempt to swap Davide Zappacosta and Marcos Alonso for money for Hakimi hasn’t helped them stay ahead of the French giants, who seem willing to pay more by not offering any spare parts. Both Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Dortmund’s Haaland remain targets, but the quoted fees will push Chelsea to break the Premier League transfer record.
Some insiders close to the situation described the desire to sign a world-class forward as difficult. In the meantime, Chelsea could move on to signing the center-back later in the transfer window if their negotiations over new contracts for Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger collapse. Chelsea also wants to renew Tino Livramento’s contract despite interest from outside Milan and Aston Villa, among others.