Palestra hijacked, €55m deal close
Chelsea have swooped in on Inter Milan's deal for Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra. The fee is €55 million, and the move is being driven by new manager Xabi Alonso, who wants Palestra for his wing-back system (2). The 21-year-old broke through at Atalanta after a loan at Cagliari and was Inter's primary target before Chelsea stepped in. Medical booked in London.
Maxi Araújo on the radar
Chelsea are also monitoring Sporting left-back Maxi Araújo. Manchester United are in the same race (1). Araújo is one of Sporting's standout performers, and with Marc Cucurella gone to Real Madrid, left-back is an open position.
Lacroix linked in Friday gossip
The BBC gossip column has Chelsea interested in defender Maxence Lacroix (3). Arsenal want Bruno Guimaraes, and Sandro Tonali is linked with Liverpool in the same round-up. Just noise for now, but the name is on the list.
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Neto calls Flamengo loss his toughest game
Flamengo 3–1 Chelsea in the Club World Cup, and Pedro Neto has not forgotten it. "It was the hardest game we faced at that point. The intensity, the way they played, the atmosphere, the Brazilians packed the stadium," Neto said ahead of Portugal versus Colombia on Saturday (8). He warned his Portugal teammates a similar environment awaits.
Cucurella wants Enzo at Real Madrid
Marc Cucurella, now at Real Madrid, has gone public. "Ojalá se haga," he said about Enzo Fernández joining him. That translates to "hopefully it happens" (7). The two are close from their Chelsea days, and the noise around Fernández's exit is not fading.
Alonso faces Paez development call
Kendry Paez arrives with a tricky World Cup picture and a big decision ahead. Xabi Alonso will need to assess whether the Ecuadorian teenager stays at Chelsea or goes on loan for the season (6). The talent is there. The pathway is not yet clear.
Hato earning praise from Dutch pioneer
Jorrel Hato is on World Cup duty with the Netherlands, and the first Dutchman to play for Chelsea has singled him out: "Wonderful to see" (5). Hato's stock is rising in an already stacked Dutch squad.
Penders: a former coach speaks
Mike Penders, Chelsea's young Belgian goalkeeper, told former Chelsea coach Christophe Lollichon something about the club that stuck with him (4). The article does not reveal the full exchange, but Lollichon clearly rates the kid. Penders' Belgium were held 0–0 by Iran in World Cup qualifying this week.
Fan reactions
The Palestra deal has hit r/chelseafc hard. Fans are calling it a statement signing under Alonso, with many noting the speed of the hijack, Inter were in pole position barely 48 hours ago. The €55m fee is seen as reasonable for a 21-year-old wing-back who fits the system perfectly. One thread already has hundreds of comments debating where he slots into the XI. Join the discussion
