Chelsea on track for Alex Scott
Chelsea are on track to sign Bournemouth's Alex Scott, and the deal could happen as early as January. The fee is up to €118m (3). That is a serious number for a midfielder, but the club clearly want it done before anyone else moves.
Liverpool are not going away
Liverpool are trying to muscle in on the same deal. They have not given up on Scott, and the asking price on their side is €120m (2). Chelsea looked like they had pulled ahead. That gap is not as big as it looked.
You won't be the only club at the table.
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Henderson made Derksen eat his words
Jordan Henderson scored twice against Bournemouth, a 5–1 win at home on Saturday (4). Johan Derksen, who once called him "a worthless player", was full of praise for the 36-year-old afterwards (4). Morgan Rogers was blunter: "He's probably still the fittest player at the club to be honest, he's a machine" (fan reaction).
Henderson is 36 and running the midfield. That says plenty about the man.
Gusto's future is up in the air
Malo Gusto could be on his way out. Chelsea priced clubs out of a summer move, and now they may be open to selling him (6). If a bid lands in January, the club will listen.
Enzo replacement lined up, and €100m in the pot
Chelsea are preparing a January approach for a £50m-rated midfielder to replace Enzo Fernandez (5). Separately, the club are ready to put €100m on the table to close one of their main targets (8). Two midfield moves, one window.
Names on the Chelsea radar
Chelsea are tracking Inter's Andy Diouf, with Arsenal and PSG also watching (7). They are also monitoring Feyenoord's Gjivai Zechiël ahead of the winter window (9). Fulham youngster Josh King is a name in the mix too, with Barcelona and Man Utd circling (3).
Nothing new on Félix, but he is talking
João Félix says he plans to return to Europe. "I'll be 27 at the end of the season. I plan to return to Europe, even if it might not be right away" (7). No Chelsea move is reported. He is just keeping the door open.
Fan reactions
The mood around Stamford Bridge is settled. Cole Palmer's new contract has fans talking about trust and repayment, and his own words on the 23/24 Young Player of the Year award ("I got robbed of the player of the season but it is what it is") have gone down well (fan reaction). Jordan Henderson's brace has been the other talking point, with fans sharing Morgan Rogers' line that he is still the fittest player at the club (fan reaction).
