Chelsea may have wrapped up their summer transfer dealings, but there are still discussion about the future of some players currently on their books. Manager Enzo Maresca has been handed the task of integrating his new signings, but several Chelsea players are reportedly looking to move on.
After several busy transfer windows in recent years, Chelsea’s squad is sizeable and numerous players were linked with exits over the summer. However, some couldn’t secure permanent moves, while others failed to find suitable clubs willing to take them on loan for the season.
This leaves stars like Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling in a state of limbo, with both likely to be sold in the near future. Fresh claims have surfaced regarding both players, which could impact Enzo Maresca’s squad-building plans.
On the pitch, Chelsea returned to winning ways against Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. The Blues bounced back from their 2-1 loss to Manchester United last weekend – although things didn’t go entirely as planned.
Chelsea’s immediate attention will now shift to their home match against Brighton on Saturday. Here, we delve into the latest news surrounding the Blues.
Nicolas Jackson’s transfer to Bayern Munich was finalised on deadline day, with Chelsea inserting a potential £56.25m obligation-to-buy clause. This stipulation would be activated if Jackson starts 40 matches for the German club this season, a scenario that Bayern’s honorary president Uli Hoeness has downplayed due to Harry Kane’s position as the team’s primary striker.
However, according to Bild, Bayern have already agreed a five-year contract with Jackson, reflecting their faith in the forward. The report suggests that Bayern might pay the £52.5m fee at the end of the season, even if the appearance clause isn’t fulfilled, to prevent other clubs from snapping up the Chelsea player.
Alternatively, the Bundesliga champions could attempt to renegotiate the price with Chelsea after reaching an agreement with Jackson. The 24-year-old has made three appearances for Bayern this season, including coming on as a late substitute against his parent club in the Champions League.
Chelsea have been fined by the FA for their disciplinary record in last Saturday’s match against Manchester United. The Daily Mail reports that the Blues will have to cough up £25,000 after receiving six cards.
Chelsea had a disastrous start at Old Trafford when goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was shown a red card for a foul on Bryan Mbeumo just five minutes into the game. Maresca’s team struggled after being reduced to ten men, going 2-0 down to United before Casemiro’s second yellow card levelled the playing field just before half-time.
Unlike their opponents, Chelsea saw an additional five players receive cards during the match. Marc Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, Enzo Fernandez, Tosin Adarabioyo and Tyrique George were all booked, resulting in a fine for Chelsea.
Raheem Sterling finds himself sidelined from Chelsea’s first team plans after failing to secure a move during the summer transfer window. The forward spent the previous season on loan at Arsenal, making 13 starts in 28 appearances.
The Athletic has reported that Sterling was the target of late interest from Bayern Munich, managed by his former Manchester City teammate Vincent Kompany. However, the 30-year-old was hesitant to accept the transfer.
It is reported that Sterling was unwilling to agree to a last-minute move, as he had done with Arsenal, and did not want to relocate his family to Germany or leave them behind for the season. The Chelsea star was keen to stay in the capital, but any interest from other London clubs did not lead to formal discussions. Sterling’s name came up during Bayern’s negotiations over a potential move for Jackson.
Before Bayern’s match against Chelsea earlier this month, Kompany shared his thoughts on Sterling’s situation: “The only thing I can hope at this age, because he’s still at a good age, is that he can turn it around and show the whole world what his quality is and eventually be in a situation where everything fits for him and he fits for where he is, and hopefully that can happen sometime soon for him and I wish him all the best.”
