João Pedro untouchable, Barcelona told no
Barcelona want him. Chelsea are not listening. João Pedro has been made untouchable this summer, and any approach from the Catalan club will be shut down immediately (5). Alonso sees the Brazilian forward as central to his project. No price, no negotiation.
Chalobah to Como nearly done for £27m
Trevoh Chalobah is hours away from leaving. Como are closing a deal worth €31m to €32m, roughly £27m, with important steps taken overnight (6). Chelsea had previously rejected two lower offers from the Italian side. The sale clears a squad spot and brings in funds.
Lacroix lined up as the replacement
Chelsea are already moving. Maxence Lacroix of Crystal Palace is the name on your club's shortlist to replace Chalobah, and contacts have been made with both club and agent (6). Fabrizio Romano: "He's one of the most appreciated centre-backs at Chelsea. Chelsea remain very keen on Maxence Lacroix" (6).
Get the next Chelsea FC brief by email
This article went out to subscribers as a brief. Get the next one straight to your inbox, free.
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Liverpool win the race for Jacquet
Jeremy Jacquet is heading to Anfield, not Stamford Bridge. Liverpool have beaten Chelsea to the Rennes defender in a deal worth £60m (1). Anfield Index called it "a real coup" (1). Chelsea were in the mix but lost out.
Sarr headed for a Premier League loan
Mamadou Sarr's next step is a domestic one. Chelsea are keen for the young centre-back to get a Premier League loan this summer, believing first-team minutes in the division will accelerate his development (4).
Penders to push Sanchez for the gloves
Mike Penders is not coming to sit on the bench. The young Belgian goalkeeper is expected to provide serious competition for Robert Sanchez this season (2). Chelsea are not chasing a first-choice keeper, instead looking at veteran English options for the third spot. The battle for number one starts in pre-season.
Atlético eye Enzo Fernández
This one is not going away. Atlético Madrid are considering a shock move for Enzo Fernández (3). Alonso has publicly said he wants the Argentine to stay after private talks, but Atlético's interest adds uncertainty. The price tag being floated is in the region of £120m (3).
Fan reactions
The mood on r/chelseafc is one of cautious accounting optimism. u/xabi_the_redeemer flagged that the club have already banked around £120m from sales, Cucurella, Santos, George, and Morgan, plus compensation from Manchester City for Maresca. The Chalobah deal pushes that figure higher. Fans in the thread seem less focused on the outgoings and more curious about where the money goes next. Read the full discussion.
