This summer has been one of the busiest for plenty of teams in the Premier League, with transfer deadline day one just over one week away. With plenty of business to be done, few have had a more crucial window than that of Chelsea.
Thomas Tuchel was tasked with refreshing his squad after losing some key members, having to do so under the guidance of new ownership. So far, the German coach has added three immediate first-team stars in Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella.
The other half of the transfer strategy has focused on young promising talent, with Cesare Casadei, Carney Chukwuemeka and Gabriel Slonina all making the switch with a view to the future. However, plenty more is expected from the club regarding arrivals over the next week.
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A number of high-profile players continue to be linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge, though Tuchel has claimed he doesn't know if moves will go through before the end. One of those rumoured is AC Milan's Rafael Leao, and football.london will take you through the state of play relating to his potential transfer.
90Min reports that Chelsea have held talks with AC Milan over a move for 23-year-old Leao, who proved pivotal in their title win in Serie A last season. However, a deal may seem unlikely as the club's stance are that his release clause of €150million (£127million) must be paid to let him leave.
It's a stance backed by manager Stefano Pioli, who claims he isn't concerned by the winger's contract expiring in 2024: "I'm not at all worried about contractual matters. You can see that he is happy to be with us. Potentially he is a champion for strength and ability to jump man. He has many goals in his legs, even more than last year. He has grown a lot without the ball. Now he must be able to occupy the area better."
Should the Rossoneri's stance remain firm, it would make a deal this summer highly unlikely for the Portuguese international. However, with just two years remaining on his contract, there is hope that a move could come at some point.
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