Chelsea are putting together final plans for their trip to Selhurst Park on Monday (February 12) to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino’s team arrive at the game buoyed by their win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
Meanwhile, midfielder Enzo Fernandez is settled at Stamford Bridge and not looking to leave. Elsewhere, the Blues are interested in Amadou Onana.
On that note, here’s a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on February 11, 2024:
Enzo Fernandez in love with Chelsea
Enzo Fernandez is completely committed to Chelsea, according to transfer insider Ben Jacobs.
The Argentinean’s future was subject to speculation following recent a report from Football Transfers that his camp are in talks with potential suitors.
The player’s agent has since refuted those claims, while Fernandez also appeared to rub in the same message after scoring against Aston Villa in midweek.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs said that the 23-year-old used the celebration to declare his love for the Blues.
“Usually we speak about rumours and fake news as being unsettling, and I think it definitely irked the Enzo Fernandez camp because it is so untrue. But I think it also put a bit of fire in the belly.
“I definitely think it contributed to prompting that exuberant celebration, so Enzo Fernandez, his camp and Chelsea might just have the last laugh based upon that fake news. It has been used to prove a point,” said Jacobs.
He continued:
“Usually, these kinds of stories are distracting and irritating to players because they create unwanted media headlines, but I think that story blew up to such an extent that the agent had to respond to it and dismiss it as fake news.
“Fernandez used it as an opportunity to show how much he is in love with the Chelsea project.”
Fernandez is under contract with the London giants till 2031.
Blues eyeing Amadou Onana
Chelsea are interested in Amadou Onana, according to SPORT. The London giants invested heavily in midfield last year bringing in Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Romeo Lavia in big-money moves.
However, with Caicedo struggling to live up to expectations and Lavia struggling to stay fit, Pochettino could be tempted to turn back to the market.
Amadou has apparently popped up on the Argentinean’s attack, following some stellar work with Everton. The Belgian defensive midfielder has appeared 25 times across competitions for the Toffees, scoring two goals and setting up one more.
With the Merseyside club under financial distress, they could be open to Onana’s exit for a fair price. However, the Blues face competition from Arsenal and Barcelona for the 22-year-old.
Chelsea likely to offload multiple players in the summer
Former Everton chief Keith Wyness has said that the Blues will have to offload players before they can move for new names this summer.
The Blues have invested heavily on the squad since the arrival of Todd Boehly at Stamford Bridge, but their plans haven’t worked out.
The London giants have entered this weekend in 11th place in the Premier League table and things are not looking bright for Pochettino.
Speaking to Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness also added that homegrown players like Conor Gallagher could be sacrificed for the cause
“Chelsea are going to have to offload players early in the window – before the books are balanced on 30 June.
“Their business is going to be the big one to set the ripple effect going – if they don’t achieve their targets. They can then go out and spend again later in the window,” said Wyness.
He continued:
“That just shows to me that these rules and limits are being applied in the wrong way. There has to be an element of common sense that comes into this.
“Chelsea will target certain players, like Gallagher, to get maximum value as he came through the academy at the club.”
Gallagher has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur by multiple reports recently.
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