Badiashile to join Napoli on loanpublished at 21:59 BST 13 August
21:59 BST 13 August
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea have accepted a loan offer from Napoli for defender Benoit Badiashile, with an option to buy.
The two-time France international, 25, has permission to travel to Italy to complete a move worth an initial £2.6m loan fee, with a potential £850,000 in add-ons.
In addition, the Serie A club will have the option to buy Badiashile for £23.1m next summer.
The deal represents a compromise on the £30m asking price set by Chelsea earlier in this transfer window.
However, the centre-back has been earmarked for a sale throughout the summer after struggling to cement his place at Stamford Bridge, and was among the players not training under new manager Xabi Alonso.
Badiashile has suffered a number of injuries since joining Chelsea for £32.7m in 2023.
Fofana on injuries, criticism and calling out abusepublished at 18:08 BST 13 August
18:08 BST 13 August
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Wesley Fofana shed tears, faced criticism for laughing at the wrong moment and exposed racist abuse last season - but now he believes stability will lead to an "amazing" Chelsea future.
The 25-year-old centre-back has been a controversial figure because of the difficulties he has faced since his £75m move from Leicester City in 2022.
However, he is also a survivor. He is the last remaining signing from that summer and, following Marc Cucurella's move to Real Madrid, Chelsea's longest-serving player aside from academy graduate Reece James.
"Football is like this. It moves fast, but it is a good stat," said Fofana. "For me, some years were difficult, but now I'm back. I'm playing, I'm fit."
Fofana is right to be optimistic.
He is young, featured heavily under new manager Xabi Alonso in pre-season, and fit and healthy after injury troubles in recent seasons.
Fofana reiterates it was his "dream" to join Chelsea, the club he supported as a boy growing up in Marseille, through his admiration for the Blues' former striker Didier Drogba.
Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season and failed to win a trophy.
Fofana was arguably the fall guy for many supporters, not helped by footage of him laughing on the bench during a heavy Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain in March.
He said it was not as significant as some made out and that those inside the club "know my mentality", but added: "When the team is not doing well, we need to find someone [to blame]. I can accept that.
"The club bought me for a very big transfer [fee]. I came with the ambition to be the best in my position and to help the team. So, when things go badly, I accept being the guy [people blame]."
Fofana, a Muslim whose father is from Ivory Coast, was racially abused on Instagram last season. He also highlighted abuse in March 2025.
He says it hurts to see those messages, but he will never stop calling it out.
"It is not a big thing to expose people who do that," he said. "For me, it is very important. For me and other players, we need to show what people are saying.
"We need to educate people. I think the people behind Instagram need to work on that. I exposed this on Instagram and Twitter [now called X] because I think they need to be more aware and more conscious of this problem."
Having received such abuse from a young age he is prepared to continue speaking out, even if it leads to criticism of his own character.
Dougie: As a Chelsea fan, the best outcome is we sell Fernandez. He doesn't want to be at the club anymore and we don't want anyone who thinks like that. We have more than enough cover already.
Ausso: If Manchester City actually cough up the £120m asking price we should take the money and run! He's not worth that.
Mike: Get rid of Fernandez, whatever the cost!
Jez: I think he should go - he has not only disgraced himself in the World Cup but has openly looked for a move away from Chelsea. No player is bigger than the club so ship him out.
George: Whether he stays or goes, we win. He stays and we have a world-class proven midfielder, he goes and we get rid of a potential bad apple and replace him with Martin Zubimendi. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Bob: The best outcome for the team is that Chelsea stand by their guns and sell only if their valuation is met. The player was happy enough with his wages when he signed for the club, he should stay and play.
Andrew: Fernandez should go, but only if Chelsea get a decent price for him. He's been poorly advised by his agent Javier Pastore who thought he was clever enough to manufacture a move to Real Madrid and now has left his client in a really difficult position. I'd be happy for him to stay a Chelsea, he's still a great player, but firing Pastore may be needed to show that he's committed to the club.
Neev: I want Enzo Fernandez to stay as he was a key part of the team last year, but if he wants to leave, Chelsea should target Fabian Ruiz or Alex Scott.
The Argentina international, 25, has faced uncertainty over his future at Stamford Bridge since March, when he first raised the possibility of a move to Real Madrid.
Around that time, his agent Javier Pastore publicly stated his client was underpaid and wanted to leave following a difficult season in which Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League and ended the campaign without a trophy after losing the FA Cup final to Manchester City.
Real Madrid have since said they have "no intention" of signing Fernandez, leaving the only known potential suitors as Manchester City, whose new boss Enzo Maresca left Chelsea midway through last season.
It remains unclear whether City would be willing to meet the player's valuation, with the Etihad outfit also known to be targeting Lille's Moroccan midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi.
Chelsea have set a deadline of 17:00 BST on Friday for any offers and are expected to stand firm on their £120m price tag, even though they signed him for £107m from Benfica in 2023.
Gossip: Blues in contention to sign Zubimendipublished at 07:23 BST 13 August
07:23 BST 13 August
Arsenal are open to selling Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi for at least £77m, with Chelsea a strong contender to sign the 27-year-old. (Teamtalk), external
How do add-ons work in football transfers?published at 07:16 BST 13 August
07:16 BST 13 August
It is common practice these days for transfer fees to have performance-based add-ons. The theory is the selling club gains more if the player goes on to be extremely successful, while the buying club is to some extent protected financially if the transfer doesn't work out.
In some cases, the total value of add-ons is significant - Real Madrid could end up paying an extra £30m to Borussia Dortmund for Jude Bellingham depending on how successful he is over the course of his career in the Spanish capital, for example.
In others, like the potential £1.7m worth of add-ons Brighton's £29.78m signing of Greece Under-21 forward Charalampos Kostoulas, are less significant.
Clubs sometimes say add-ons are 'easily achievable' or 'difficult'.
Easier-to-achieve add-ons can include things like making a basic number of appearances, or scoring a certain amount of goals. Add-ons can also be attached to a team's success rather than the individual player's - a club may agree to an add-on requiring an extra payment if they qualify for Europe, for example.
Others can be more ambitious - tied to extreme levels of individual or collective success, like winning the Champions League or the Ballon d'Or.
An example of the difficulty add-ons can present when discussing valuations would be the claims made in the Portuguese media in 2022 that the first additional payment in Darwin Nunez's £64m-plus-add-ons move from Benfica to Liverpool was triggered by the Uruguayan making just 10 appearances.
Then Liverpool boss Arne Slot rejected speculation he had not started Nunez in some games because it would trigger an additional payment.
Whether Liverpool paid more for Nunez, or club captain Virgil van Dijk - for whom they paid a flat fee of £75m to Southampton in 2017 - cannot be determined without knowing exactly what add-ons were included in the Nunez deal, then figuring out which conditions he has and has not met.
Chelsea defender Tosin receiving interestpublished at 14:51 BST 12 August
14:51 BST 12 August
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea have received interest from Benfica and at least one other Premier League club in centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo.
The 28-year-old defender has less than two years remaining on his contract and is increasingly likely to leave Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis this summer.
Chelsea have nine senior central defenders and new manager Xabi Alonso has publicly stated he wants to reduce that number to "four or five", with the club not involved in European competition next season.
Tosin was keen to remain in west London but he is open to exploring opportunities elsewhere - and the chance to reunite with his former Fulham boss Marco Silva is understood to be appealing.
However, several options are still being assessed, including the possibility of remaining in English football.
Chelsea regard academy graduates Levi Colwill and Josh Acheampong as untouchable. Maxence Lacroix is expected to play a major role after joining from Crystal Palace for £52m this summer, while Wesley Fofana is also expected to stay.
Other centre-back options, including Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile, are not training with the first-team squad and are available for transfer, while Mamadou Sarr and Aaron Anselmino could leave on loan.
Chavarria's unconventional route to Stamford Bridgepublished at 13:44 BST 12 August
13:44 BST 12 August
Nizaar Kinsella and Elizabeth Conway Chelsea reporter and Spanish football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Pep Chavarria's path to Stamford Bridge has been anything but conventional.
Unlike many players who reach elite clubs through prestigious academies or early top-flight breakthroughs, Chavarria had to take the longer route.
He did not make his La Liga debut until the age of 24 - an age when many players have already established themselves at the highest level.
Born in Figueres, a city in Catalonia in north-eastern Spain, Chavarria played for his hometown club before moving to Olot, where he built his reputation in Spain's lower tiers.
A move to Real Zaragoza in 2020 gave him his first taste of professional football at a bigger club, and - after two seasons in Spain's second division - he earned the opportunity to step into La Liga with Rayo Vallecano in 2022.
That timing was significant.
Rayo were not expected to compete with Spain's established giants but, under a strong collective structure, they became one of the division's most difficult opponents.
The club's ability to compete against wealthier clubs has repeatedly relied on identifying undervalued players and maximising their strengths - and Chavarria became another example of that model, having joined for less than £2m.
There he developed into a dependable top-flight full-back, combining defensive aggression with the physicality required to succeed in the role.
He made 125 appearances for Rayo and became a regular presence on the left side of defence.
Neto attracting Premier League interestpublished at 13:15 BST 12 August
13:15 BST 12 August
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has attracted interest from four Premier League clubs, with one believed to be Manchester City.
The 26-year-old Portugal international is not regarded as one of the 'untouchable' players at Stamford Bridge and could therefore move before the transfer deadline.
However, Chelsea insist they would demand a significant fee for the attacker, who joined from Wolves for £54m in 2024.
The club believe the market for wide forwards has been inflated by a lack of options for leading clubs, highlighted by the £117m fee paid for Morgan Rogers and Paris St-Germain's £145m valuation of Bradley Barcola.
Those figures have influenced Chelsea's valuation of Neto, who is known to be of interest to Manchester City where he would be reunited with former Blues boss Enzo Maresca.
Maresca and Neto are understood to have a strong relationship, and the winger is among those reported to have been frustrated by the Italian's departure midway through last season.
New manager Xabi Alonso has not commented on Neto's future, but he has played the winger in pre-season friendlies, including the 3-0 win over AC Milan on Saturday.
'This is a dream for me' - Chavarriapublished at 10:05 BST 12 August
10:05 BST 12 August
Image source, Getty Images
"Today is one of the best days of my life," says Chelsea's newest signing Pep Chavarria.
The 28-year-old left-back has left La Liga side Rayo Vallecano and penned a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge in a deal worth £16.3m, with a further £1.7m possible in add-ons.
Chavarria made 44 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring one goal and contributing three assists, as Rayo Vallecano finished eighth in La Liga and reached the Conference League final.
"It is a pleasure to be here," Chavarria told Chelsea FC, external. "This is a dream for me because this is one of the best clubs in the world. Today is one of the best days of my life.
"As a person, I'm very friendly. As a player, I love to attack, to defend and go box-to-box. I have a lot of intensity and energy on the pitch. These are my main abilities.
"I've played in Spain all my life but the Premier League is the best league in the world right now. There is a lot of quality and intensity, so I think it is the best league for me.
"I've already spoken with Xabi Alonso, I'm here thanks to him. He is one of the best coaches out there right now and he was also one of the best footballers. It is an honour to be here playing under him."
Mheuka assesses loan options after new dealpublished at 09:07 BST 12 August
09:07 BST 12 August
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Shim Mheuka's remarkable rise at Chelsea is set to be recognised with a new long-term contract until 2033.
The 18-year-old is finalising those talks and is then expected to take the next step in his development away from Stamford Bridge this summer.
The Premier League 2 Player of the Season has attracted interest from more than a dozen clubs across Europe and the Championship.
There remains a question over how any move is structured, reflecting both the competition for places at Chelsea and the high regard in which the club hold him.
It follows a remarkable campaign in which he scored 17 goals in 17 Under-21 matches, while also gaining valuable experience around the first team.
Mheuka's performances suggested he had outgrown academy football, but there appears little prospect of regular senior football at Chelsea this season.
Joao Pedro, Danny Welbeck, Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson, Emmanuel Emegha and Marc Guiu are all on the books as senior striking options, while highly rated 18-year-old Dastan Satpayev is another player viewed as part of the club's future.
Chelsea are expected to offload at least three of those forwards, but opportunities are still likely to be limited.
It is why a temporary move is seen as the best option for Mheuka, who is understood to favour a switch to mainland Europe over a move within England as he looks to continue his rapid progress.
Chelseaand Manchester Unitedhave been offered the chance to sign England midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly as Arsenalcould be tempted into selling the 19-year-old after the arrival of Brazil international Bruno Guimaraes, 28, from Newcastle.(Football London, external)
Rogers trains with Chelsea for first timepublished at 17:25 BST 11 August
17:25 BST 11 August
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea's club-record £117m signing Morgan Rogers has trained at Cobham for the first time since his move from Aston Villa.
The forward was part of a group of players returning from the World Cup to begin pre-season training following a holiday.
Rogers joined fellow new signings Jordan Henderson, Maxence Lacroix and Valentin Barco.
Meanwhile, Enzo Fernandez, who has been linked with a move to Manchester City, was also among the group, along with Reece James and Malo Gusto.
Striker Emmanuel Emegha was also pictured as he nears a return from the hamstring injury he sustained while scoring in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Bromley before the club's tour of Australia and Asia.
It leaves manager Xabi Alonso with a full squad for Saturday's friendly against Real Sociedad before Chelsea begin their Premier League campaign away at Fulham on 24 August.
Chelsea give Mudryk go-ahead for loan movepublished at 11:10 BST 11 August
11:10 BST 11 August
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Mykhailo Mudryk has managed 10 goals and 11 assists in 73 appearances since joining Chelsea
Chelsea are exploring potential loan moves for Mykhailo Mudryk as he looks to build up his fitness after 20 months out of football.
The Ukraine international, 25, has not played a competitive match since November 2024.
He was suspended for four years after returning an adverse finding for the banned substance meldonium.
However, an agreement was reached to resolve the doping case, and the winger has returned with substitute appearances in pre-season friendlies against Juventus, AC Milan and Johor Darul Ta'zim during Chelsea's tour of Asia.
In meetings at the end of the tour, Mudryk agreed to leave on loan before the transfer deadline on 1 September.
A move to Strasbourg, who share the same BlueCo ownership as Chelsea, has been proposed, but Mudryk would prefer a move to another English top-flight club.
Several other clubs have also emerged as potential destinations, including a number of leading sides in Italy.
Mudryk remains under contract until 2031, having joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk for an initial £61m in 2023.
Fernandez returns to Chelseapublished at 09:42 BST 11 August
09:42 BST 11 August
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Enzo Fernandez is due back in Chelsea training on Tuesday after flying in from his holiday in Ibiza.
There are again rumours that Manchester City could make a move for him.
Chelsea's stance has remained consistent. Their asking price remains £120m should any club want to sign him, acknowledging that the Argentina international is open to a move.
However, Chelsea will not budge on that valuation and both Xabi Alonso and the club as a whole would be happy to reintegrate him into the squad this season.
Jorgensen joins Strasbourg on loanpublished at 09:17 BST 11 August
09:17 BST 11 August
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen has joined Ligue 1 side Strasbourg on a season-long loan.
The 24-year-old, who joined the Blues on a seven-year deal in July 2024, has racked up 36 appearances in all competitions over the past two seasons.
Jorgensen kept two clean sheets in 12 appearances last season, playing a vital role as Chelsea reached the FA Cup and Carabao Cup semi-finals.
The Denmark international also started all but one game as Enzo Maresca's side lifted the 2024-25 Conference League trophy, while also becoming a Club World Cup winner later that summer.
A club statement read: "We look forward to supporting him throughout his time in France. Good luck, Filip!"
Image source, Getty Images
