Mauricio Pochettino's list of problems he must solve at Chelsea must feel as though it continues to increase with each passing hour. The Blues finished the 2022/23 Premier League in the bottom half of the table with four different managers taking charge at various points and therefore solving the lack of cohesion on the pitch will be one of Pochettino's priorities.
But first he must navigate the summer transfer window which looks set to be a busy one at Stamford Bridge. Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte appeared on the verge of a move to Chelsea before that deal fell apart courtesy of Paris Saint Germain's lucrative wage offer trumping the one sent in from west London.
Nonetheless, Chelsea had other midfield targets they soon became focused on. Moises Caicedo appears to be the main target and a source has told football.london that Chelsea are confident they can strike a deal with Brighton for the Ecuador international this summer.
The Blues have also opened talks to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton, football.london understands. Despite their relegation to the Championship, the Saints are said to want at least £40million for the Belgian. While steps are being made to acquire two new midfielders, which is definitely needed, the biggest job Pochettino faces is sanctioning exits.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, N'Golo Kante and Kai Havertz are just a few prominent first-team stars tipped for exits. Loftus-Cheek appeared on the verge of sealing a summer move to AC Milan until the Italian club sacked technical director Paolo Maldini and sporting director Frederic Massara, who negotiated a £15million switch.
Kante meanwhile, despite completing a medical to sign for Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ittihad, could see his move fall through following a report from AFP which suggests the Frenchman’s extensive injury record is holding up the deal as club officials examine his medical results.
Manchester City have agreed personal terms with Kovacic which has taken him one step closer to a Premier League transfer with Chelsea open to selling. While there are complications and things that still need ironing out in all three of those moves, significant steps are being made to start the squad rebuild but the real decisions are only just starting for Pochettino.
Havertz is a target for Real Madrid as they seek for a Karim Benzema replacement after he completed a move to Al Ittihad last week. Mount has strong interest from the Blues' Premier League rivals with Manchester United as the frontrunners for his signature and ready to table their first bid. Everton tried to sign Gallagher in January and his future remains in the balance with Newcastle monitoring his situation.
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Contract predicaments and the mass squad overhaul plans mean all three are likely up for sale at the right price, but that is currently the issue. What Chelsea think is the right price for that trio is currently very different to the stance of the buying clubs.
Mount is valued by the Blues at £70million, with the potential for a further £10million in add-ons, whereas Man United believe £50million is more than enough. Chelsea hold Havertz in a similar value, but again Madrid are unwillingly to go beyond £50million.
According to the Daily Mail, Gallagher's asking price from Stamford Bridge is £50million but Newcastle would only consider paying half that. Chelsea and Pochettino need to realise quickly they do not hold the power in these negotiations. Firstly, all three will have seen their value drop after a challenging 2022/23 campaign where none of the trio really made a lasting impact.
Secondly, the club have an FFP deadline that is fast approaching where sales need to be completed and interested parties will be aware of that. June 30 is the final day where Chelsea can help balance their books following a vast transfer spend and departures for Gallagher or Mount would count as pure profit on the books.
Understandably, Chelsea are hopeful of receiving the highest fee possible to agree to let certain players leave, but it is unlikely any further developments will occur if their strong valuation stance does not change. Taking in £100million for both Mount and Havertz, using Madrid's and Man United's respective valuations, would not be bad business at all considering the duo's recent form and contract stances.
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