Chelsea are preparing for their upcoming Premier League game with Manchester City on Saturday (February 17) at the Etihad. Mauricio Pochettino’s side are in high spirits following back-to-back wins against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.
Meanwhile, Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been backed to join the Blues this summer. Elsewhere, midfielder Conor Gallagher wants to stay at Stamford Bridge.
On that note, here’s a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on February 14, 2024.
Ivan Toney backed to join Chelsea by pundit
Football pundit Robbie Mustoe reckons Chelsea are the perfect club for Ivan Toney.
The English striker is expected to be on the move this summer, when he enters the final year of his contract with Brentford. Toney has been very impressive since recently returning from a ban from football due to his involvement in illegal betting.
The 27-year-old has appeared four times in the league this season, registering three goals. The Blues are looking for a new No. 9 and have been hot on the heels of the Englishman for a while.
On The 2 Robbies Podcast, Mustoe said that a deal could happen for £60 million in the summer.
“I think Chelsea is the fit. If it’s going to be this summer, he’s in the last year of his contract, so £60 million. I think he is a Chelsea-type player for me. We’ve seen Diego Costa, Drogba, aggressive, maverick centre-forwards,” said Mustoe.
Arsenal also have their eyes on Toney and could be in the mix for his services in the summer.
Conor Gallagher wants to stay, says Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino has said that Conor Gallagher is eager to stay at Stamford Bridge.
The 23-year-old’s contract expires in 2025, but his future remains uncertain. Gallagher has been an indispensable member of the first team this season, registering three goals and six assists in 32 outings across competitions.
However, he has also been linked with an exit for a while. The London giants are expected to offload players to help adhere to FFP norms, and the Englishman is among the names likely to be put up for sale.
Gallagher’s future was subject to speculation in January, with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly interested in his services. Spurs have also been tipped by reports to return for the player in the summer.
Speaking to the press, Pochettino added that the Englishman’s future will be decided after discussion with the club.
“Gallagher told me he wants to stay at Chelsea. Other than that, it’s for him and the club to discuss.
“We like him. I’m so happy for him and so happy for the team because it’s a victory we needed. Then, about his contract, it’s up to Conor and the club,” said Pochettino.
Gallagher could be offered a new deal if he continues his impressive run this season.
Blues have faith in Mykhaylo Mudryk, says Fabrizio Romano
The Blues are not looking to offload Mykhaylo Mudryk, according to acclaimed transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
The Ukrainian forward has been a disappointment since arriving from Shakhtar Donetsk in January last year in a reported £88.5 million deal. Romano recently said that Bayern Munich wanted to bring the player to the Allian Arena in the winter but were turned down by the Blues.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano said that the London giants are happy with Mudryk.
“It’s true that Bayern made a phone call to Chelsea to ask about Mykhailo Mudryk’s availability, but they were given an immediate ‘no’ from the Blues because they wanted to keep him.
“It wasn’t even a negotiation, just a basic request, nothing more,” wrote Romano.
He continued:
“The phone call lasted a couple of hours and, in the end, once it became clear that Chelsea weren’t interested in playing ball, Bayern were more than happy to sign Bryan Zaragoza from Granada.
“Chelsea remain more than happy with Mudryk at the moment anyway, and are not entertaining any offers for his services.”
The 23-year-old has appeared 25 times across competitions this season, registering four goals and three assists.
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