Malard takes the No.9 shirt by scoring
Melvine Malard is Chelsea's leading scorer. Her goal in a 3–0 win over West Ham was her fourth competitive goal of the season, and it puts her top of the list (5).
She is making the centre-forward question look settled. One start, one opener, four goals since the season began (5).
Barcelona weighing a €130m bid for Estêvão
Barcelona have made Estêvão one of their summer priorities and are considering a €130m offer to test Chelsea's resolve (2). Nothing is signed, nothing is agreed. But a nine-figure bid for a teenager is the kind of number that starts a real conversation.
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Chelsea sounded out Wijnaldum
After selling Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City, Chelsea contacted free agent Georginio Wijnaldum about covering the midfield gap (3). Lamine Camara is also in the mix as Chelsea look at options in that area (3).
Kante could go for £18m in January
Chelsea are reportedly open to selling N'Golo Kante for £18m, with Inter and Juventus interested (4). A January exit for a World Cup winner at that price is the part that will get people talking.
The Scott chase is still on
Chelsea had two bids worth more than £60m for Alex Scott rejected by Bournemouth last summer, and they remain in contact with people close to the player (7). Thomas Tuchel has called Scott the "complete package" and praised his first start for England: "what a start and what a performance" (7).
Zola and Lampard get the retrospective
A look back at Chelsea's pivotal signings puts Gianfranco Zola and Frank Lampard at the centre of it (8). The framing is simple: Chelsea have always pushed boundaries on and off the pitch (8).
Other names on the radar
Chelsea are tracking Como midfielder Lucas Da Cunha as his Premier League market heats up (9). They are among the clubs monitoring 16-year-old Palmeiras talent Eduardo Conceição, alongside Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain (10). Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic, now valued at around £50m, has had Chelsea officials at his games this season (6). And Chelsea are linked with a defender in a reported race with Liverpool (1).
Emi Martinez is fine
Emi Martinez was substituted for Argentina against Burkina Faso on Sunday, but it was part of Argentina's full XI change, not an injury (11).
Fan reactions
The mood on r/chelseafc is all about Alex Scott. Fans are sharing Fabrizio Romano's line that Chelsea "remain seriously interested" and see Scott as the ideal midfield addition, and reposting Tuchel's "complete package" comment after his England debut. The most active thread is Romano on Scott's future.
