Chelsea's summer of spending shows no signs of slowing with deadline day fast approaching as reports suggest the Blues are eyeing a swoop for a wantaway Premier League star.
Enzo Maresca's side have enjoyed a largely positive start to the season, backing up a respectable showing against Manchester City with a 6-2 demolition away to Wolves over the weekend.
New arrivals Pedro Neto and Joao Felix appear to have hit the ground running, both grabbing a goal involvement in Sunday's rout as the new Italian manager continues to implement his own brand of football at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea targeting late rival swoop
Chelsea are reportedly looking to bolster their already impressive front line with a move for Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho before Friday's deadline.
The former Borussia Dortmund star looks to be firmly out of Erik ten Hag's plans after missing the first two matchday squads of the season sparking rumours of an impending departure.
The £72million man has struggled for form and confidence since his 2021 move, failing to impose himself under three different managers with the speed and intensity of the Premier League frequently appearing too much for the talented trickster to handle.
Sancho and Ten Hag's relationship came to blows last season after the 24-year-old publicly criticised the Dutchman's post-match comments following a 3-1 defeat away to Arsenal, eventually leading to a six-month loan back to the Westfalenstadion.
A failed attempt to repair the relationship over the summer has offered Chelsea the opportunity to swoop, with Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth claiming that the Blues are willing to offer a player in return in order to get a deal done.
Reports remain varied about who exactly Chelsea would sanction going the other way, although estimates would suggest either Ben Chilwell or Raheem Sterling could be offered, having both been shunned from the first team.
Sterling finds himself in a similar situation to Sancho, having taken to social media to call out the club's decision to banish him from first-team duties as they look to continue their mission to clear out an ageing, high-earning section of their bloated squad.
Sterling, a boyhood United fan, has already been the subject of loan interest from Aston Villa, although it appears talk on the move has since gone cold.
Chelsea face competition from Juventus for Sancho's signature this summer as the once-coveted youngster looks to get his career back on track.
In FourFourTwo's view, it is important to look past how simple this deal looks. On the surface the move suits all parties involved - players get their desired moves and the clubs get a fresh face to shake up their attacking lines. However, the new owners of both clubs have already made a point of reducing the bloated wage bills. The two players involved represent two of the league's highest earners at the time of writing, meaning neither fit into the respective clubs' transfer policies unless they are willing to take a big pay cut. A solid move on paper, but certainly one to take with a pinch of salt.
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