Chelsea issued $125m transfer ultimatum as Liverpool ready to bid on unsaleable star
Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Blues press briefing with reactions to stories
Welcome to the football.london transfer briefing. To help you stay up to date with everything Chelsea are doing in the market, we’ve compiled the latest stories from social media, journalists and so-called ITCs, summarizing what’s happening in the blues world.
Lukaku Deadline
Chelsea have told Inter they have until Monday July 17 to finalize the transfer of Romelu Lukaku before he returns to Cobham for pre-season training. The Blues are embarking on their America tour next week with Lukaku not expected to be part of the touring squad due to his desire to leave.
He aims to return to Inter on a permanent deal after spending last season on loan at San Siro. However, Chelsea are still trying to recoup a significant chunk of the £97.5m ($125m) they paid for him in 2021 and have already turned down an initial offer from the Nerazzurri.
Now reports in Italy suggest the Blues are not set to play under Lukaku this summer, instead allowing Mauricio Pochettino to work with the Belgian if nothing can be agreed on a move in the coming days.
football.london says: Chelsea will do well to complete one of the most complicated transfers of the summer in less than a week, but on the other hand they have shown they are extremely ready and vigilant when it comes to relates to sales. Few would have thought they could transfer Kalidou Koulibaly or receive such a large transfer fee for Kai Havertz, but those two alone earned them the bulk of £100m ($128m).
At Lukaku, all parties know that there is a deadline here that benefits everyone. Inter would like Lukaku, Lukaku would like Inter, both want the best possible pre-season and Chelsea don’t want Lukaku or pre-season with him, but money. It should be simple, right
The actual method behind executing such a move over the next few days is less certain. In the board of directors there are offers from Saudi Arabia, to which it is said it is increasingly open, but the preference goes to Italy. The simple answer is to say that Lukaku will not be a Chelsea player at the end of the period, but whether he will be in time for adequate preparation or not is another question.
With such a timeline, Lukaku may be unmarketable for Chelsea, but in the long run there is little doubt that his future lies outside the club.
Liverpool ready to offer for Colwill
Liverpool are ready to bid for Levi Colwill, writing 90min and talkSPORT. The 20-year-old has been increasingly at the center of transfer speculation as the window progresses. As talks continue with Chelsea over his return to the club ahead of the US tour, a period of uncertainty looms.
Chelsea remain determined to keep Colwill and see him as an important part of their future. However, with two years left on his contract and his interest growing day by day, the pressure from Liverpool and Brighton remains. The Reds are said to be preparing an offer if they believe talks with Chelsea are not progressing. football.london says: Colwill is shaping up to be one of the dullest transfer stories of the summer for Chelsea fans. At the moment there is not much news about it. The player is yet to return to the club but once he does there will be talks and we are pretty sure Pochettino has big plans.
Frankly, Liverpool can prepare all the offers they want at the moment, but unless they are willing to pay prices similar to what Josko Gvardiol was talking about at Manchester City, nothing will happen. Chelsea see Colwill as their man for the next generation and appreciate him that way. It’s not just for sale. Liverpool, and Brighton for that matter, are essentially at the mercy of Chelsea in this situation, because until Colwill indicates he is unhappy, they have no chance of wrangling him. Until new terms are agreed and a contract is signed, the stories will remain, but it really doesn’t matter.
Also…
Arsenal star Folarin Balogun confirms transfer in seven-word message as Chelsea deal finalized
Chelsea to undergo another squad overhaul this summer at Stamford Bridge and confirm Christian Pulisic’s departure to Milan
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Christian Pulisic is about to move from Chelsea to Milan.
The USMNT star arrived in Italy on Wednesday to complete a medical before being announced as Milan’s latest signing. Pulisic will become the second Chelsea player to join Stefano Pioli’s side following the £18m ($23.1m) transfer of Ruben Loftus-Cheek last month.
After weeks of negotiations, the two clubs agreed on a transfer fee of £18.9 million ($24.2 million). Milan fended off competition from Lyon and Juventus and signed Pulisic. The 24-year-old ended his four-year spell at Stamford Bridge with one year remaining on his contract.
After Loftus-Cheek confirmed Pulisic would join him at the San Siro, Milan posted a message from the USA international on social media. Upon arriving in Italy, Pulisic said: “Hello AC Milan fans, this is Christian Pulisic.” I just arrived in Milan, I’m so happy to be here and I can’t wait to start.
Pulisic’s transfer saga has been in the headlines for the past 12 months and the fate of his future has been unclear for some time. He will now sign a four-year contract in Italy and have a chance to reestablish himself in the Premier League after a difficult few years.
ALL RIGHT
Following Pulisic’s post from AC Milan, Arsenal striker and USMNT star Folarin Balogun took to Instagram to send his international team-mate his best wishes. Reposting the video, the 22-year-old wrote: “Good luck with your new club brother!” @cmpulisic.”
Balogun, like Pulisic, faced uncertainty over his future after impressing at Stade Reims last season. The Gunners striker scored 22 goals in all competitions during his time in France, sparking huge interest in Europe.